You may be required to fill your height at various places like forms in the school, some competitions, etc. Besides, as a parent, you may want to know whether your child is growing age appropriate. It may not be feasible every time to go to the pediatrician just to measure your height, but then the question arises, how to measure height at home accurately, especially when you do not have the standard Stadiometer at home, and it may not even be practical to keep one at home. So in the absence of that, how can you measure your height? There are many non-standard ways of measuring height.

Since childhood, measuring height has been a part of our lives, whether in the doctor’s office or our homes. Many of our old houses have marks on the walls measuring our height throughout childhood. Whether for medical or non-medical reasons like getting clothes, it is always good to know how to measure height.

Although all the doctor’s offices have instruments to measure one’s height, what if you have to measure the height at home? This article discusses different ways to guage height accurately in the comfort of your home with or without help. Read on!


Image Source: Shutterstock

How to Measure Your Height Correctly:

Several tools help you measure height, whether in a doctor’s office or at your home. But when you want to measure your height at home by yourself with or without anyone’s help, you will have to keep the following things in mind:

  • Don’t wear any footwear.
  • Stand straight against the wall.
  • Avoid wearing any bulky clothing.

How to Measure Height at Home:

Here are a few ways how to accurately measure the height in the comfort of your home:

How to Measure Height with Help:

  • Choose a flat section of a wall and a flat uncarpeted floor section, and take off your shoes.
  • To have an accurate measurement, remove headbands, braids, and anything else on your head.
  • To make standing flat against the wall easier, remove any bulky clothing.
  • Choose where the wall and corner meet and stand with your feet flat on the floor and heels against the corner.
  • Make sure your chin and line of sight are parallel to the floor while keeping your eyes straight ahead.
  • Ask someone to place an object like a book or a ruler against the wall. Make sure the thing is set at the right angle.
  • Now ask them to lower the object until it reaches your head.
  • Mark the place where the object meets your head using a pencil.
  • Now measure the distance from the floor to the mark on the wall using a tape measure, ideally a metal one.
  • Measure the nearest 1/8th of an inch or 0.1 centimetres and make a note.

This is a good way to measure your child’s height. You can measure at your home.

Read: Average Height by Country

How to Measure Your Height by Yourself at Home:

You can still follow the steps mentioned above with a few modifications if you don’t have someone to help you measure your height. Here are some ways you can measure the height easily:

How to Measure Height Using Tape Measure:

  • It might be challenging to use a ruler or a book to keep straight or flat on your head, especially if you are doing the measurement independently.
  • Therefore to measure the height of your head against the wall, use a cereal box or a similar object.
  • If you wish to make sure the cereal box or whatever object you are using is parallel to the floor, stand facing a mirror.
  • Use one hand to mark the wall where the bottom of the box meets the wall while holding the object with the other hand.
  • Now measure the distance from the floor to where you marked the wall using a tape measure.

How to Know My Height Without Measuring:

If you want to check your height without a measuring tape, there are still some ways, though the initial part is the same:

  • Stand against the wall and mark the place at the top of your head using a pencil.
  • Measure the distance from the floor to the mark using a ruler.
  • A makeshift ruler, strides, hands, and pinkie finger are other ways you can measure your height by yourself.

Read: Simple Tips To Increase Height Naturally

How to Measure Your Height With Phone:

  • Stand straight, use the viewfinder, and position it at the subject’s feet.
  • Locate the plane by moving the Phone slowly.
  • Now starting with the subject’s feet, slowly move the Phone upwards towards the head of the subject.
  • Make sure to cover the entire body using the viewfinder.
  • Your height will be displayed on the Phone automatically.

How Do Doctors Measure Height:

Every doctor’s office has a device called Stadiometer. This device helps the doctor measure the height of the patient. The Stadiometer has a sliding horizontal headpiece that can be adjusted as per the head of the patient, and it has a ruler attached to the wall. Stadiometer is one of the quickest and most efficient ways to measure height.

How to Convert Foot + Inches to Centimeters:

Different parts of the world use different measuring systems to measure length. Some use the metric system, while others use the imperial system.

You will have to start calculating your height in inches only to convert your height to its metric equivalent. For example, one inch = 2.54 cm. Therefore to get your height in centimetres, multiply your height in inches by 2.54 to make the conversion.

Here is a Quick Table for Reference:

Whether you are a growing teenager or a full-grown adult, it is always better to know how to measure the height at home. All you will need are some basic tools and the information we have provided in this article. Having an accurate height measurement will help you in medical and non-medical ways. Don’t forget to let us know if you found this article helpful!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is based purely on research and is not a replacement for professional advice. You can always consult your doctor or health care professional before adding anything to your diet. Furthermore, the website is not responsible for the authenticity and accuracy of the information.

1. Why Is It Necessary To Measure Height And Weight In Growing Kids?

Ans: When monitoring an infant or child’s health, measuring height and weight accurately is essential. In addition, measuring height and weight helps track a child’s growth efficiently irrespective of age.

2. What Are The Measurement Units For Height?

Ans: Generally, a person’s height is measured in centimetres, inches and feet.

3. Do Stadiometers Give Accurate Height Measurements?

Ans: If you wish to get highly accurate height measurements, digital and analog stadiometers are ideal. But digital stadiometers reduce the likelihood of human errors by giving exact measurements without the need for approximation.

4. How Can I Measure My Height Without Using Measuring Tape?

Ans: If you do not have a measuring tape and are still looking for ways how to measure height, the following are some of the non-standard methods that will aid in measuring height near accuracy:

  • Hands
  • Strides
  • Pinkie finger
  • A dollar bill can be used which is exactly 6 inches long
  • A makeshift ruler

5. How to Calculate Height in Centimeters?

Ans: For calculating the height in centimeters, you need to be using the following conversions:

  • First of all, convert feet into centimeters using the conversion rate 1 foot =30.48 cms so if your height is 5 feet something, then your height in centimeters is 5 x 30.48 + something.
  • Next, convert the inches into centimeters using the conversion rate 1 inch =2.54 cm, so if your height is 5 feet 6 inches, then the height in centimeters is 5 x 30.48 + 6 x 2.54 =167.64 cms.

6. How do You Calculate Your Height in Inches?

Ans: For converting your height into inches, follow the following steps:

  • First of all, convert the whole feet into inches using the conversion rate 1 foot = 12 inches. So if your height is 5 feet and something first convert 5 x 12 = 60 inches.
  • Add up the further inches to this round figure. For example, in case your height is 5 feet and 4 inches, then it comes to 60 + 4 = 64 inches.

7. How do You Calculate Height in Meters?

Ans: The following formula will help you convert your height in meters:

  • 1 meter = 3.28 feet and 1 feet=0.305 meters. This will help you convert your height in feet into height in meters.
  • For converting height in inches and centimeters to height in meters, one must use the following conversion formula:
  • 1 inch =2.54 cm and 1cm =0.394 inches. Further 1 meter = 100 cm. Thus by using these formulas, you can convert your height in a 2 step process.

8. How Can I Measure My Height?

Ans: While it is easy to measure others’ height at home accurately, it might get a little tricky in measuring your height on your own. However, following the below-mentioned steps will aid you in measuring your own height accurately:

  • Grab a pencil and stand with your back against the wall, feet close to each other and neck straight.
  • Now take a hard book in your hand and place it against the wall on top of your head and holding the book straight.
  • Mark a point over the book or the hardboard with a pencil.
  • Now take a measuring tape and measure the height from the pencil mark to the bottom of the floor.

Saanvi

About Saanvi

Saanvi Sharma is an excellent web content writer in health and nutrition. Her expertise in the subject stems from in-depth research and knowledge that she gained over the years. Her interest in science coupled with a bachelor's degree in biotechnology proves as an added advantage and further adds value to her writing. She is highly interested in science, thus writing quality content became her virtue.
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