The Human Body- Organization and Anthropometry

Introduction
In order for anatomy to make sense, there must be a frame of reference. This frame of reference is referred to
as the anatomical position. Healthcare workers around the world use this position when referring to the
bodies of the patients that they treat. In this position the body is erect with the feet slightly apart, face and
toes facing forward, arms to the side with palms facing forward and thumbs pointing away from the body. This
will be important to remember as you complete this lab activity to explore human measurements, planes,
regions, and directional terms.

To further understand the importance of these human parameters and attributes we will extend this activity to
include the study of anthropometry. Anthropometry is the technique of measuring anatomical and
physiological features of human beings. In this lab activity, you will be introduced to this technique by
measuring some anatomical features on yourself and your classmates. When one is measuring living forms, it
quickly becomes apparent that measurements may vary from one individual to another within a given
population. Biological variation is a normal property of all living as well as fossil forms of life.

The study of anthropometry has many practical uses. One practical use for anthropometry is assessing
nutritional status. Collecting the data is simple and can be done in a fairly short period of time. Further, the
collected data may be used to assess a child’s growth and development patterns during the first years of life.
Anthropometric indicators are less accurate than clinical and biochemical techniques. However, in many field
situations where resources are severely limited, this anthropometric data can be used to screen for those who
are at risk for undernutrition. When used wisely this data can contribute to the development and
implementation of appropriate food and nutrition programs for individuals and groups of individuals in need.
To that end, it can also serve as a baseline in screening for nutritional deficiencies against which change over
time can be realistically evaluated.

Another practical use for anthropometry is ergonomics or “human factors”. Ergonomics is defined as the
science of work. In particular how people do work to include where they work and the tools that they use.
Anthropometric data is often used by engineers to design workplaces that help prevent injury. As well,
engineers use anthropometric data to design products for everyday human use. These products are very
diverse and include everything from TV remote controls to instruments used by physicians when performing
surgery. With that said, that is a major reason why anthropometry is so important to the field of ergonomics.

Essential Questions
1. What is the anatomical position, including the application of directional terms, anatomical planes, and
regions of the human body?
2. What are some of the physical similarities and differences in human beings?
3. What do measurements tell us about the range of human variation?

SAFETY
Follow standard laboratory safety policies.

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MATERIALS
ruler gummy bears scale measuring tape calculator

PROCEDURE
Part 1- Anatomical Position, Planes, Directional Terms, and Regions
For part 1 sections A-G follow the directions on the student data collection sheets.

PART 2 -Taking Human Measurements

Record your measurements and the measurements of all members of your group in Table 2. Table of
Measurements.
1. Write down the name, age, and sex of each student in your group.
2. Height of person standing
To measure the standing height, remove shoes and stand with the dorsal side (back) and heels touching
the wall. Keep the head straight. Another student, acting as an anthropometrist (person who
measures human beings), brings the ruler down to touch the top of the head (not hair). Record the
standing height in cm. (Inches x 2.54 = cm).
3. Sitting height
Sit on a table, feet not touching the floor. Sit with the back straight, holding the head level. Do not
slouch. Measure the distance from the top of the head to the surface on which the person is seated in
cm.
4. Leg Length
Have subject stand up. Measure the distance on the outside of the leg from the top of the hip (iliac
crest) to the bump on the ankle (lateral malleolus) in cm.
5. Upper arm circumference
To measure the upper arm circumference, find the point that is half way between the elbow (olecranon
process) and the shoulder (acromion process). Wrap a tape measure around the upper arm at this
point and measure the distance around in centimeters. Do not contract the muscles.
6. Shoulder width
Measure the width of the shoulders from right to left shoulder points (acromion process), in cm. This
point is the hard bony point on the shoulder that sticks out when the arm is raised and lowered.
7. Head width
Measure the width of the head, in centimeters, from ear to ear. This is normally the widest part of the
skull.
8. Thumb length
Using a metric ruler measure the length of the thumb. Determine how far it is from the end of the
thumb to the base of the thumb. The base of the thumb is where it joins the wrist, not where it meets
the palm of the hand.
9. Span
Stand up straightforward with both arms at shoulder height (horizontal) with palms facing forward with
fingers straight. Use a tape measure and measure from the tip of the middle finger of one arm to the
tip of the middle finger of the other arm.

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PART 3. Comparing Human Measurements
1. Make a table to show the range of each characteristic for all members of the group. The largest and
smallest measurements determine the group range for that characteristic. Add all the measurements
for each character then divide by the number of subjects to find the average Record the range and
average for each characteristic of the group in Table 2. Group Measurement Ranges.

2. In order to study variation, we need to know more than just the range of measurements for a
characteristic. A graph of measurement can help us study variation. To make a graph, we need to
know the measurement of each individual for a characteristic. In Table 3 Class Height Measurements,
record the number of students in the class for each standing height. (In order to make the graphing
easier, round each student’s height to the nearest 5 cm. For example, if the height is 167 cm, count it
as 165 cm. If the height is 159 cm, count it as 160 cm.)

3. After completing Table 3, plot the data for standing height.

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Student Data Sheet Name____________________________

1A) Have one member of the group stand in the anatomical position and verbally state his or her position. Is
there anything odd about this position? The lab partner(s) should verify that the group member is standing in
the correct anatomical position. If any portion of the position is incorrect verbally assist the lab partner into
the correct position. Write the definition for anatomical position on in the space below.

1B) Body Planes

Procedure:
1. Obtain 3 gummy bears and a plastic knife from the teacher.
2. Take one gummy bear and a blade. Cut through the median/midsagittal plane of the bear. Draw a
picture of the two parts of the gummy bear after it has been cut.
3. Take a second gummy bear. Now make a cut through the frontal or coronal plane. Draw a diagram
including the two parts of the gummy bear.
4. Take a third gummy bear and cut a transverse or horizontal plane.
5. Give a description of the cuts you made for each of the planes: median/midsagittal, frontal/coronal and
transverse/horizontal under each diagram in the space below.

Body Planes
Median (Mid-Sagittal) Frontal (Coronal) Transverse/Horizontal

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1C) Diagram Orientation/Directional Terms
Identify the directional terms located in the column
to the right on the diagram by placing the A. Proximal
appropriate letter in the space provided. B. Superficial
C. Deep
D. Inferior
E. Superior
F. Distal
G. Anterior
H. Posterior
I. Medial
J. Lateral

Fill in the blank with the correct orientation/directional term.

1. In the anatomical position, the buttocks and the shoulder blades are on the ______________ surface
and the face and palms are on the __________surface of the body.
2. The top of the head is _____________ to the eyes, and the nose is ____________ to the eyes.
3. The ears are ___________ to the nose, and the sternum is located in the __________ portion of the
chest.
4. The elbow is ___________ to the fingers but __________to the shoulders.

1D) Body Cavities

Use the terms to the right and write the letter of the correct body cavity in the space provided.
1.)
2.)
A. Thoracic Cavity
B. 3.)
Spinal Cavity
C. Pelvic Cavity
4.)
D. Abdominopelvic Cavity
E. Abdominal 5.)Cavity
F. Cranial Cavity
6.)
G. Dorsal Cavity
H. 7.)
Ventral Cavity
8.)

1E) Abdominopelvic Quadrants

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Using diagram and the terms provided write the names of the major organs found in that quadrant on
the table below.
Liver Gallbladder Cecum
Appendix Stomach Duodenum
Sigmoid Colon Body of Pancreas Left Spermatic cord
Head of Pancreas Left lobe of liver Right Spermatic cord
Spleen Descending Colon Left ovary
Right Ovary

Organs of the Abdominopelvic Region

Right Upper Quadrant Right Lower Quadrant Left Upper Quadrant Left Lower Quadrant

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1G) Body Regions
Identify the correct body region on the diagram below by placing the appropriate letter in the correct location.

A. Epigastric F. Left Lumbar Region

B. Right Hypochondriac Region G. Hypogastric (Pubic) Region
C. Left Hypochondriac Region H. Right Iliac (Inguinal) Region
D. Umbilical Region I. Left Iliac (Inguinal) Region
E. Right Lumbar Region

Part 3 Table 2. Table of Measurements

Subjects
Characteristic ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________
Yourself Student Student Student Student
Age
Sex
Standing Height
Sitting Height
Leg Length
Upper Arm
Circumference
Shoulder Width
Head Width
Head Length
Cheekbone Breadth
Total Facial
Height
Thumb Length
Span

Part 3 Table 3. Group Measurement Ranges

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Characteristic Smallest Largest Range Average
Standing Height

Sitting Height

Leg Length

Upper Arm
Circumference

Shoulder Width

Head Width

Thumb Length

Span Length

Part 3 Table 4. Class Height Measurements

Height (cm) 125 130 135 140 145 150 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 190 19
5
# of Girls

# of Boys

Total #

Plot the data on standing height in the graph below.

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Analysis
Questions
1. Is the range of standing height in your class larger or smaller than the range in your group?

2. Do you think the range of standing height in your school as a whole is the same or larger than the
range in your class?

3. If one student were chosen from your class by chance, do you think it is likely that the height of the
student would be the same as the average height of the class?

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4. Is it likely that any one student would have the average values for all the characteristics measured in
this activity?

5. What is meant by variation?

6. What do you think are the problems involved in relying on the measurements of one specimen?

7. From this activity and your knowledge of people, name some other traits that show variation in
humans.

To answer the next questions read the information in the following passage about percentiles and
use the stature diagram and the CDC growth chart for girls and boys handout provided by your teacher.

Percentiles
Percentiles are often used in conjunction with anthropometry tables to tell you if the measurements listed in
tables relates an average person or someone above or below average in a certain dimension.

When looking at the different heights of adults you may deduce that that the majority of them look about the
same height with a few being above or below average. The adults that fall within this range of the average are
within the 50th percentile. This means that they are in the most likely height in a group of people. If we made a
graph of the heights (or most other dimensions) of that group of people, it would look similar to the graph
below.

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8. Describe the data that you see on the graph?

9. Look at the information on the graph. What are two primary factors that you would need to take into
consideration when designing a product?

10. If you were designing a door for entrance to a room in a home how would the information on the graph
be useful to you?

11. How would that same graph affect your design if you worked for an aircraft company and you were
asked to design an airplane cockpit, and needed to make sure everyone could reach a particular control

Read the instructions on the back of the CDC Growth chart for how to read the percentile chart.

12. Look at the CDC Growth chart for girls. At age 4 what percent of girls are less than 40 inches
(approximately 101 cm)?

13. At age 20 what percent of girls are less than 69 inches (174 cm)?

14. If a girl is 17 years old and 60 inches (152 cm) tall, which percentile is she in?

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15. What similarities and differences do you notice about the height of the boys in your group or class in
comparison to the CDC stature chart?

16. What similarities and differences do you notice about the height of the girls in your group or class in
comparison to the CDC stature chart?

17. What percentage of girls in your class fall within the 50th percentile for height? Show your calculations.

18. What percentage of boys in your class fall within the 50th percentile for height? Show your calculations.

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