The interpretation of pulmonary function tests relies on reference values corrected for age, sex and height. Height may be difficult to measure in patients with deformities of the thoracic cage or those unable to stand up properly. Current practice is to substitute arm span to height, once corrected either by a fixed factor or by an age- and sex-dependent regression equation. However arm span may be difficult to measure in some patients.This study evaluated the relationship between arm span, measured height, height as mentioned on an identity document (ID), sex and age in a population of 2,452 Caucasian subjects with no chest or spine deformities.The present study demonstrates that age and sex have to be taken into account to best predict height from arm span or ID height values. The equations predicting height from ID height give the best diagnosis concordance compared to reference in males and females. Age correction does not improve concordance below 70 yrs.The estimation of height from ID height can be substituted to that from arm span when clinically relevant, providing ID height has been measured before the occurrence of stature problems.

<h4>Background</h4>Arm span is the closest physiologic measurement to standing height. Increased arm span to standing height ratio, therefore, indicates possible loss of height, which is a feature of aging, often resulting from osteoporosis-related vertebral collapse. We hypothesize that the discrepancy between arm span and height is associated with reduced airflow volumes, severity of dyspnea, and right-sided cardiac structural changes in older individuals with symptoms of dyspnea.<h4>Method</h4>Patients with conditions investigated with transthoracic echocardiography for suspected heart failure were invited to participate in our study. All subjects were evaluated with a clinical history and physical examination followed by measurements of arm span, standing height, weight, FEV(1), and FVC.<h4>Results</h4>Sixty-six subjects aged 71 +/- 10 years were recruited for our study. Arm span to height ratio was significantly negatively correlated with FEV(1) (r = - 0.464; p < 0.001), FVC (r = - 0.479; p < 0.001), and body weight (r = - 0.252; p < 0.05), and positively correlated with the New York Heart Association classification for dyspnea (rho = 0.309; p < 0.05). Female sex, steroid use, inhaled bronchodilators, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and right heart chamber dilatation were significantly associated with increased arm span to height ratio.<h4>Conclusion</h4>We have found a significant association between increased arm span to height ratio, reduced respiratory airflow volumes, increased severity of dyspnea, and echocardiographic features of pulmonary heart disease in a group of predominantly elderly subjects with multiple comorbidities. The role of arm span measurements in assessments of airflow volumes in older patients and the association between loss of height and dyspnea now deserve further evaluation.

reach (sometimes referred to as wingspan, or spelled armspan) is the physical measurement of the length from one end of an individual's arms (measured at 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 arms (measured at the fingertips) to the other when raised parallel 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 pr 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 arms (measured at the fingertips) to the other when raised parallel 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 may be used as a height measurement when it cannot be obtained for health reasons. A person's arm span is influenced by the positioning and alignment of their joints and especially their shoulder joints. Joint centration is when joints are optimally positioned and aligned in a centered way both when a person is still and when they are moving. In regard to the shoulders, whereby they are centrated they are broader set and the arm span is increased. This is considered relatively to if they were decentrated i.e. if the shoulders were hunched forwards as part of a person's usual posture, they would not be optimally positioned and aligned and their arm span would be reduced. Neck (cervical spine) decentration is a primary catalyst for shoulder decentration due to the way in which the joints influence each other in a kinetic chain. For example, a person with the forward head posture condition will also usually have the rounded shoulder posture condition. As such, in order to achieve maximum arm span, without straining, it is also necessary that the neck, and… Arm span is sometimes used when a height measurement is needed but the individual cannot stand on a traditional stadiometer or against a wall due to abnormalities of the back or legs, such as scoliosis, osteoporosis, amputations, or those who are confined to a bed or use a wheelchair. Other, possibly more accurate measuring techniques include knee length or recumbent 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.