Arm Span on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Arm span or reach (sometimes referred to as wingspan, or spelled "armspan") is the physical measurement of the length from one end of an individual's
Arm span or reach (sometimes referred to as wingspan, or spelled "armspan") is the physical measurement of the length from one end of an individual's arm
In human anatomy, the arm refers to the upper limb in common usage, although academically the term specifically means the upper arm between the glenohumeral joint (shoulder joint) and the elbow joint. The distal part of the upper limb between th ...
s (measured at the fingertips) to the other when raised parallel
Parallel is a geometric term of location which may refer to:
Computing
* Parallel algorithm
* Parallel computing
* Parallel metaheuristic
* Parallel (software), a UNIX utility for running programs in parallel
* Parallel Sysplex, a cluster of IB ...
to the ground at shoulder height at a 90° angle. The arm span measurement is usually very close to the person's height. Age, sex, and ethnicity have to be taken into account to best predict height from arm span. Arm span is sometimes used when a height measurement is needed but the individual cannot stand on a traditional stadiometer
A stadiometer is a piece of medical equipment used for measuring human height. It is usually constructed out of a ruler and a sliding horizontal headpiece which is adjusted to rest on the top of the head. Stadiometers are used in routine medical e ...
or against a wall due to abnormalities of the back or legs, such as scoliosis, osteoporosis, amputation
Amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on indi ...
s, or those who are confined to a bed or wheelchair. Other, possibly more accurate measuring techniques include knee length or recumbent
Recumbent may refer to:
* Recumbence, the act or state of lying down or leaning
* Recumbent bicycle, a bicycle, tricycle or quadricycle which places the rider in a reclined or supine position
* Recumbent effigy
A tomb effigy, usually ...
length when possible.
Because any decrease in height will cause an increase in the ratio of arm span to height, a large span to height ratio may sometimes be an indicator of a health problem that caused a vertical height loss such as postural changes due to ageing or any spinal conditions such as Degenerative Disc Disease.
Arm span in sports
An above-average reach is advantageous in sports such asbasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
, tennis, boxing, mixed martial arts, volleyball, discus throw, fencing, rock climbing, and swimming. For instance, boxer Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston ( 1930 – December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. A dominant contender of his era, he became the world heavyweight champion in 1962 after knocking out Floyd Patterson i ...
, while 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) tall, had a reach of 213 cm (7 ft 0 in). Another example is UFC former Light heavyweight Champion Jon Jones, who is 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) tall, but has an advantageous reach of 215 cm (7 ft 0.5 in).
This unusually long reach allowed them to hit opposing fighters from relatively safe distances where they could not reach them. However, a long arm span is mechanically disadvantageous on the bench press.
Procedure
The most common and easily accessible method of measuring armspan uses the demi-span. Using a tape measure, measure from the individual's sternal notch (center of thebreastbone
The sternum or breastbone is a long flat bone located in the central part of the chest. It connects to the ribs via cartilage and forms the front of the rib cage, thus helping to protect the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels from injury. Sh ...
) to their middle finger as it is stretched out to one side, then double the demi-span for the actual armspan measurement. Demi-span is used because measuring from fingertip to fingertip is difficult, requiring two people or markings on a wall.
Height estimation
For bed-ridden patients, direct measurement of height is typically impractical. Since on average, a person's arm-span and height are equal, the measured span may be used as a good estimate of height.See also
*Ape index
Apes (collectively Hominoidea ) are a clade of Old World simians native to sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia (though they were more widespread in Africa, most of Asia, and as well as Europe in prehistory), which together with its sister g ...
* Human body
The human body is the structure of a human being. It is composed of many different types of cells that together create tissues and subsequently organ systems. They ensure homeostasis and the viability of the human body.
It comprises a head ...
* Marfan syndrome
Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a multi-systemic genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue. Those with the condition tend to be tall and thin, with long arms, legs, fingers, and toes. They also typically have exceptionally flexible joints a ...
– high limbs to height ratio
* Fathom
References
Further reading
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Arm Span Anthropometry fr:Allonge