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A REVIEW ON CONVENTIONAL ANTHROPOMETRY:
On the 4th of May I posted a help plea, asking for
references concerning the height of the substernale point in
women, and the distance between the two Anterior Superior Iliac
Spines (bispinous breadth) in men. I thank you very much for the
many replies. If I had known those references before starting my
search for literature, I would have saved several weeks of work.
I summarized herein the replies I received, for your
convenience, with my own comments within square brackets. I also
added a short review of the three reports where I found most of
the anthropometric data I needed, and where you are likely to
find whatever parameter you need. I hope someone will find the
following summary useful now or sometime in the future.
I hope I'll be able in the future to help someone of you as
much as you helped me. Thanks again,
Paolo de Leva
Sport Biomechanics Lab.
I.S.E.F. of Rome.
DELEVA@Risccics.Ing.UniRoma1.IT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The following was suggested by Sarah Donelson
(sdonelso@natick-emh1.army.mil):
An excellent, contemporary source of anthropometry that includes
Bispinous Breadth (distance between left and right anterior iliac
spines) for both men and women, but does not include substernale
height is:
Gordon, CC, B. Bradtmiller, T. Churchill, C.E. Clauser,
J.T. McConville, I. Tebbetts and R. Walker. 1988
Anthropometric Survey of US Army Personnel: Methods and
Summary Statistics. Technical Report NATICK/TR-89/044,
U.S. Army Natick Research, Development and Engineering
Center, Natick, MA (1989).
This report can be ordered from:
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Technical Information Service
Sprinfield, VA 22161
USA
(accession number: AD A225 094).
A total of 132 directly measured dimensions and 50 some odd
automated headboard dimensions are in the report for males and
females. Most of the data was collected on individuals in the
requisite 18 - 30 year bracket because they are all military
personnel.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The following suggestions were offered by:
Johan Molenbroek
Lecturer Engineering Anthropometry
Delft University of Technology
email:j.f.m.molenbroek@io.tudelft.nl
(-From: Johan Molenbroek )
Trotter and Gleser (1952),
'Estimation of stature from longbones of American Whites and
Negros Am J of Phys Anthropology,10(1952)4,463-514
(...Data are presented from both living and death bodies of
soldiers returning from the war).
I measured a few years ago 44 variables from 354 students
including 89 female, but did not measure the points you mentioned
[substernale height, bispinous breadth, joint center positions].
Look in the database CARL, because in there are a lot of
ergonomic and anthropometric journals.
Krogman and Yasar Iscan: The human skeleton in forensic
medicine
(we use this book sometimes... [It contains] many data about the
pelvis)
the newest Martin: Knussmann,R Anthropologie Band I II und III
Gustav Fischer Verlag,Stuttgart,Germany,1988
(When this book was announced its price was DM384)
----------------------------------------------------------------
My own short review:
Among the anthropometry books I found before posting my
plea, one was as much useful as several dozens of different
reports (although it does not contain the two specific parameters
indicated in my plea): N.A.S.A Staff (1978). Anthropometric
source book - Vol. II: A handbook of anthropometric data. Webb
Associates, Yellow Springs, OH Distributed by:
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Technical Information Service
Sprinfield, VA 22161
USA
I copied part of the preface for you (see below), so that
you can appreciate the value of this book. The main advantage of
a summary like this is that you have a huge amount of data in
one book, and you can have in a short time a general idea about
the contents of surveys from all over the world. The name of this
summary was also included in the reply to my plea by Johan
Molenbroek. Since no other summary was suggested to me, I think I
can reasonably assume that the Authors were right when they wrote
that their summary is "probably the most comprehensive source of
summarized body-size data currently in existence". And it seems
to be still so, after 15 years from its publication (correct me
if I am wrong).
From the Preface:
"Volume II summarizes the results from anthropometric
surveys of 61 military and civilian populations of both sexes
from the United States, Europe, and Asia." [Some of these
populations were divided into subgroups, and data about
subgroups is included in the summary as well]. "Some 295
measured variables are defined and illustrated. The variable
names are listed in alphabetical order. For each variable, there
is a computer order number by which it is identified, a list of
surveys in which it was measured, a group of summary statistics,
and a series of values for the 1st, 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th,
90th, 95th, and 99th percentile of the given population."
"Preceding the presentation of the actual data are three
indexes designed to assist the reader in the use of the
material. The first of these indexes, entitled "Anthropometric
Surveys: A reference list", lists and describes the sources from
which all the summary data were extracted (...). The next index,
entitled "Definition of Measurements", includes both written
descriptions of all the variables cited and simplified line
drawings, where feasible, to illustrate a particular measurement.
The third index is provided to further guide the user in
identifying and finding measurements relevant to his or her
particular needs. It is entitled "Index of Dimensions". The
variables are listed by name and are categorized by anatomical
region and by anthropometric technique."
"Volume II contains a minimum of text-type material and is
primarily a handbook of tabulated dimensional anthropometric
data. It is probably the most comprehensive source of summarized
body-size data currently in existence."
Particularly rich lists of anthropometric data can be found
in the two following reports. They are both based on the analysis
of small samples (n=13 and n=6) of fairly old (when they died, of
course) cadavers, but the landmarks were located very accurately,
with the help of fluoroscopy and X-ray.
Clauser CE, et al. (1969). Weight, volume, and center of
mass of segments of the human body. AMRL-TR-69-70, Wright
Patterson Air Force Base, OH
Chandler RF, et al. (1975). Investigation of Inertial
properties of the human body. AMRL-TR-74-137, Wright Patterson
Air Force Base, OH
(This book contains also unique 3D data about the position of
estimated joint centers with respect to neighboring bony
landmarks, and the center of mass of adjacent segments, although
in some cases the segment lengths calculated using 3D data are
markedly different from those measured through conventional
anthropometry, by up to 4.4 cm).
With the best regards,
Paolo de Leva
On the 4th of May I posted a help plea, asking for
references concerning the height of the substernale point in
women, and the distance between the two Anterior Superior Iliac
Spines (bispinous breadth) in men. I thank you very much for the
many replies. If I had known those references before starting my
search for literature, I would have saved several weeks of work.
I summarized herein the replies I received, for your
convenience, with my own comments within square brackets. I also
added a short review of the three reports where I found most of
the anthropometric data I needed, and where you are likely to
find whatever parameter you need. I hope someone will find the
following summary useful now or sometime in the future.
I hope I'll be able in the future to help someone of you as
much as you helped me. Thanks again,
Paolo de Leva
Sport Biomechanics Lab.
I.S.E.F. of Rome.
DELEVA@Risccics.Ing.UniRoma1.IT
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The following was suggested by Sarah Donelson
(sdonelso@natick-emh1.army.mil):
An excellent, contemporary source of anthropometry that includes
Bispinous Breadth (distance between left and right anterior iliac
spines) for both men and women, but does not include substernale
height is:
Gordon, CC, B. Bradtmiller, T. Churchill, C.E. Clauser,
J.T. McConville, I. Tebbetts and R. Walker. 1988
Anthropometric Survey of US Army Personnel: Methods and
Summary Statistics. Technical Report NATICK/TR-89/044,
U.S. Army Natick Research, Development and Engineering
Center, Natick, MA (1989).
This report can be ordered from:
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Technical Information Service
Sprinfield, VA 22161
USA
(accession number: AD A225 094).
A total of 132 directly measured dimensions and 50 some odd
automated headboard dimensions are in the report for males and
females. Most of the data was collected on individuals in the
requisite 18 - 30 year bracket because they are all military
personnel.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The following suggestions were offered by:
Johan Molenbroek
Lecturer Engineering Anthropometry
Delft University of Technology
email:j.f.m.molenbroek@io.tudelft.nl
(-From: Johan Molenbroek )
Trotter and Gleser (1952),
'Estimation of stature from longbones of American Whites and
Negros Am J of Phys Anthropology,10(1952)4,463-514
(...Data are presented from both living and death bodies of
soldiers returning from the war).
I measured a few years ago 44 variables from 354 students
including 89 female, but did not measure the points you mentioned
[substernale height, bispinous breadth, joint center positions].
Look in the database CARL, because in there are a lot of
ergonomic and anthropometric journals.
Krogman and Yasar Iscan: The human skeleton in forensic
medicine
(we use this book sometimes... [It contains] many data about the
pelvis)
the newest Martin: Knussmann,R Anthropologie Band I II und III
Gustav Fischer Verlag,Stuttgart,Germany,1988
(When this book was announced its price was DM384)
----------------------------------------------------------------
My own short review:
Among the anthropometry books I found before posting my
plea, one was as much useful as several dozens of different
reports (although it does not contain the two specific parameters
indicated in my plea): N.A.S.A Staff (1978). Anthropometric
source book - Vol. II: A handbook of anthropometric data. Webb
Associates, Yellow Springs, OH Distributed by:
U.S. Department of Commerce
National Technical Information Service
Sprinfield, VA 22161
USA
I copied part of the preface for you (see below), so that
you can appreciate the value of this book. The main advantage of
a summary like this is that you have a huge amount of data in
one book, and you can have in a short time a general idea about
the contents of surveys from all over the world. The name of this
summary was also included in the reply to my plea by Johan
Molenbroek. Since no other summary was suggested to me, I think I
can reasonably assume that the Authors were right when they wrote
that their summary is "probably the most comprehensive source of
summarized body-size data currently in existence". And it seems
to be still so, after 15 years from its publication (correct me
if I am wrong).
From the Preface:
"Volume II summarizes the results from anthropometric
surveys of 61 military and civilian populations of both sexes
from the United States, Europe, and Asia." [Some of these
populations were divided into subgroups, and data about
subgroups is included in the summary as well]. "Some 295
measured variables are defined and illustrated. The variable
names are listed in alphabetical order. For each variable, there
is a computer order number by which it is identified, a list of
surveys in which it was measured, a group of summary statistics,
and a series of values for the 1st, 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th,
90th, 95th, and 99th percentile of the given population."
"Preceding the presentation of the actual data are three
indexes designed to assist the reader in the use of the
material. The first of these indexes, entitled "Anthropometric
Surveys: A reference list", lists and describes the sources from
which all the summary data were extracted (...). The next index,
entitled "Definition of Measurements", includes both written
descriptions of all the variables cited and simplified line
drawings, where feasible, to illustrate a particular measurement.
The third index is provided to further guide the user in
identifying and finding measurements relevant to his or her
particular needs. It is entitled "Index of Dimensions". The
variables are listed by name and are categorized by anatomical
region and by anthropometric technique."
"Volume II contains a minimum of text-type material and is
primarily a handbook of tabulated dimensional anthropometric
data. It is probably the most comprehensive source of summarized
body-size data currently in existence."
Particularly rich lists of anthropometric data can be found
in the two following reports. They are both based on the analysis
of small samples (n=13 and n=6) of fairly old (when they died, of
course) cadavers, but the landmarks were located very accurately,
with the help of fluoroscopy and X-ray.
Clauser CE, et al. (1969). Weight, volume, and center of
mass of segments of the human body. AMRL-TR-69-70, Wright
Patterson Air Force Base, OH
Chandler RF, et al. (1975). Investigation of Inertial
properties of the human body. AMRL-TR-74-137, Wright Patterson
Air Force Base, OH
(This book contains also unique 3D data about the position of
estimated joint centers with respect to neighboring bony
landmarks, and the center of mass of adjacent segments, although
in some cases the segment lengths calculated using 3D data are
markedly different from those measured through conventional
anthropometry, by up to 4.4 cm).
With the best regards,
Paolo de Leva