Anthropometry

(Chapter 3 Body Segment Parameters)

Wednesday March 29th

Dr. Moran
 Lecture Outline
Review Midterm Exam
Upcoming Weeks
Anthropometry Notes
 What is Anthropometry?
Studies the physical
measurements of the human body
Used to study differences
between groups
Race
Age
Sex
Body Type
Professional Fields: ergonomics,
automotive, etc.
Mostly care about the inertial Drillis & Contini 1966
properties of the body and its
segments
 Body Segment Parameters
Length
Mass
Location of segemental center of gravity
(also known as center of mass COM)
Segmental Mass Moment of Inertia

Before a kinetic analysis can occur these

properties must either be measured OR
estimated
 Some Important Assumptions
1.) Segments behave as RIGID bodies
Not true as we know that segments are composed of
bones & soft tissues. All of which bend, stretch, etc.

2.) Some segments over-simplifed

Ex: Foot represented as one segment by many
researchers
 Assumptions (cont)
3.) Segmental mass distribution similar
among a population
Allows researches to ESTIMATE an individuals segment
parameters from the AVERAGE group values
Important researcher chooses a good match
For instance, if you wanted to estimate the segment
parameters for a pediatric subject, then you would want to
be sure that the average segment parameters come for a
similar group
 Body Segment Parameters
1.) Length
2.) Mass
3.) Volume
4.) Center of Mass
4.) Center of Rotation
5.) Moment of Inertia

Question: How can we determine these BSP values for a participant in our study?
 DIRECT MEASURE
INDIRECT MEASURE
Segment properties are determined directly
from the participant. Only possible with Estimation of parameters is necessary for
a cadaver specimen because each segment living participants. There are numerous
would need to be disconnected and techniques to estimate these values
analyzed.

W.T. Dempster: Space Requirements of the Seated Operator

US Air Force (1955)
Outlined procedures for DIRECTLY measuring parameters from
cadavers (8) AND included tables for proportionally determining
parameters from cadaver values.
Coefficient Method
(Table of Proportions)
BSP Determination Methods
CADAVER STUDIES

MATHEMATICAL
MODELING

SCANNING/IMAGING
TECHNIQUES

A laser-aligned method for anthropometry of hands

(Highton et al., 2003)

KINEMATIC
 BSP Parameters
Segment Length: most basic body dimension
Can be measured from joint to joint
Dempster et al. (1955, 1959): summarized
estimates of segment lengths and joint center
locations relative to anatomical landmarks
This allows one to ESTIMATE the location of a joint
by palpating and measuring the easily identifiable
bony landmarks
For instance, the hip joint center can be
approximated from the location of the greater
trochanter
 Whole Body Density
Human body comprised of many types of
tissues of different densities
Ex: cortical bone (specific gravity > 1.8)
muscle tissue (just over 1.0)
fat (< 1.0)

Average density is a function of body type:

somatotype
 Average Density (cont)
Drillis & Contini (1966)
Pondural Index
c = h/w1/3
w = body weight (lbs)
h = height (inches)
D = 0.69 + 0.0297c kg/l

Ex: Find the whole-body density of Dr. Moran (5 10; 150lbs).

In general
(1) the density of distal segments is > than proximal segments
(2) Individual segments as the whole body density
 Segment Mass
Individual Segment Mass is proportional to Whole Body Mass

The total mass of the segment is:

M = mi
where mi is the mass of the ith segment
mi = diVi

Ex: A tape measure is used to take thigh circumferences every 1 cm. For one measurement the
circumference is 23.9 cm. Assuming a circular cross-section, what is the mass of that segment if
the average density is 1.059 kg/l.
circumference = 2 r
0.239 = 2 r
r = 0.0381
Volume of Slice = ( r2) (thickness)
V = ( * 0.03812)(.01) = 0.0000456 m3 = 0.0456 l
Mass of Slice = (1.059)(0.0456) = 0.048 kg

Simply weigh subject and then multiply by the proportion that each segment
contributes to the total.
Handout (Table 3.1 from supplemental text)
Ex: What is the mass of the left leg of a person that weighs 167 Kg?

m = (0.0465) * (167)
m = 7.7655 Kg
 Segmental Center of Mass
How to determine the center of mass?
Cadaver Studies: find the center of balance point
Dempster (1955) calculated the COM as the distance
from the endpoints of the segment
xcg = xproximal + Rproximal (xdistal xproximal)
ycg = yproximal + Rproximal (ydistal yproximal)

In Vivo Studies: the cross-sectional area and length of

segment are necessary to approximate the segmental COM
x = (1/M) mi xi

Ex: From the cross-sectional slice of the thigh compute its contribution to
the center of mass of the thigh if the circumference was taken 12 cm from
the hip joint.
mi xi = (0.048kg * 0.12m)
 Segmental Center of Mass (cont)
From Table 3.1 calculate the coordinates of the center of
mass of the foot given the following coordinates: lateral
malleolus (84.9, 11.0), head of the 2nd metatarsal (101.1,
1.3).
xcg = 84.9 + 0.5 (101.1 84.9) = 93
ycg = 11.0 + 0.5 (1.3 11.0) = 6.15
 Limb and Total Body COM
How can you compute the COM of a limb
or combination of segments?
First compute the COM of each individual segment
Use the mass proportional value for that segment
Use these formulas:

Ps xcg
xlimb = Thus, the heavier a
Ps
segment the more it
affects the total COM
Ps ycg
ylimb =
Ps
 Reuleauxs Method
Used for Center of Rotation Calculation

Reuleauxs Method (1876)

Determines the center of rotation for ONE segment
Can be a 2D, graphical technique

A1

Center of Rotation
B1
 Mass Moment of Inertia
Rotational Inertia: the resistance of a body to change in its
rotational motion. The angular or rotational equivalent of mass.
Classically defined as the second moment of mass: it is the
summed distance of mass particles from an axis
Any time a movement involves accelerations we
need to know the inertial resistance to these
movements. (F = ma; M = I)
Consider the moment of inertial about the COM,
Io
Io = m(o2)
where = the radius of gyration
 Parallel-Axis Theorem
Most segments do not rotate about their
COM, but about their joint on either end
Relationship between moment of inertia
about the COM and moment of inertia
about the joint is given by:
I = Io + mx2
 Moment of Inertia (cont)
Ex: A prosthetic leg has a mass of 3 kg and a COM of 20 cm from
the knee joint. The radius of gyration is 14.1 cm. Calculate I about
the knee joint.
Io = m(o2)
Io = 3(0.141)2 = 0.06 kg m2
I = Io + mx2
I = 0.06 + 3(0.2)2 = 0.18 kg m2

Ex: Calculate the moment of inertia of the leg about its distal end
(ankle joint) for an 80 kg man with a leg length of 0.435m.
Mass of Leg = 0.0465 x 80 = 3.72 kg
Io = m(o2)
Io = 3.72(0.435 x 0.643)2 = 0.291 kg m2
A laser-aligned method for
anthropometry of hands
(Highton et al., 2003)
 Recent Application
Maternal Anthropometry as Predictors of Low Birth Weight

Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 52(1)24-29

Objective: The usefulness of maternal anthropometric parameters i.e. maternal weight (MWt),
maternal height (MHt), maternal mid-arm circumference (MMAC) and maternal body mass
index (MBMI) as predictors of low birth weight (LBW) was studied in 395 singleton
pregnancies. The maternal anthropometric parameters were measured in the first trimester of
pregnancy and were plotted against the birth weight of the newborns.

Results: Significant positive correlations were observed among MWt and birth weight
(r=0.38), MHt and birth weight (r=0.25), MMAC and birth weight (r=0.30) and MBMI and birth
weight (r=0.30). The most sensitive being MWt (t=7.796), followed by MMAC (t=5.759), MHt
(t=4.706) and MBMI (t=5.89). For prediction of LBW, the critical limits of MWt, MHt, MMAC
and MBMI were 45 kg, 152 cm, 22.5 cm, 20 kg/m2 respectively.

Web Data (Pediatric Anthropometry)

 Muscle Anthropometry
Prior to calculating muscular
forces we need to know some
muscle measurements
Physiologic Cross-Sectional Area
(PCSA)
Fiber Length
Mass
Pennation Angle

Important values necessary for

computational modeling
http://www.duke.edu/~bsm/ovlpmris.GIF
 Muscle Cross-Sectional Area
A measure of the number of sarcomeres in parallel
with the angle of pull of the muscles.
Def: Sarcomere: basic functional unit of a myofibril, contains a
specialized arrangement of actin and myosin filaments
necessary to produce muscle contraction
With pennate muscles, the fibers act at an angle
from the long axis of the fiber
Because of the off-angle, these muscles do not move their
tendons as far as parallel muscles do.
Contain more muscle fibers--produce more tension than
parallel muscles of the same size.
 PCA (cont)
Non-pennate muscles
PCA = m/(dl) cm
m = mass of muscle fibers, grams
d = density of muscle = 1.056 g/cm3
l = length of muscle fibers, cm

Pennate Muscles
PCA = (m cos )/(dl) cm
m = mass of muscle fibers, grams
d = density of muscle = 1.056 g/cm3
l = length of muscle fibers, cm
= pennation angle (increases as muscle
shortens)