does anyone know if arm span is actually an accurate measure of height (or potential height)? I have long limbs for my height and my arm span is 166 cm (5'5) while I'm only 159 (5'2.5).
I've asked a lot of my friends and their arm spans are all less than their heights...which is quite depressing/encouraging, whichever way you think about it. I've looked online but the findings are kind of inconsistent...so...yeah.

My height is 5"8 and my arm span is 6"0. Everyone is different. I don't know if you could take your arm span as your potential height but I guess the longer your arm span, the greater the chance of you growing to a greater height. Your body grows in a way to make sure its properly proportioned. My friends height is 6"0 and his arm span is 6"1. You never know but its probably better having a long arm span over a short one.

I think there aren't ideal proportions for this. My arm span is pretty wide because my shoulders are wider from swimming. People with shoulders not so wide, won't have such wide arm span.

Theres definetly not a reliable correlation between arm span and height.

Some people have longer limb length and shorter torso length, while others have shorter limb length and longer torso length. I myself am the latter, and my legs are short and stubby but my torso is long. Others have short legs, long arms, and long torso.

These sort of methods for trying to determine height potential or such, are in no way reliable. Everyones body grows uniquely and differently, growth, especially skeletal growth, is as unique and individual as personality.

There is honestly NO truly accurate way to predict final adult height. Its simply impossible and anyone trying to state otherwise has no understanding of the individualized complexities of height growth, many of which are simply impossible to predict or analyze.

In order to calculate height potential it would need to analyze the following variables, if not more; race, age, height of relatives, average daily diet, average daily exercise, unique body proportionate growth, bone maturation rate, current bone age, current growth plate height, lifestyle factors (alcohol consumption? drug use? smoking? frequent late night partying?), average amounts of sleep acquired, any medications being taken or taken in the past, any current or past illnesses, certain genetic mutations, environment (high chemical/pollution exposure? second hand smoke exposure?), average stress levels, bodies hormonal homeostasis levels, and many more variables that all can influence a persons height outcome.

Simply impossible to calculate all these important variables accurately. Eeveryones body and lifestyle is simply way to individualized to be predicted by anyone or anything. Anything you do find claiming to predict your final adult height, should be taken with a grain of salt in its accuracy, and should be viewed as something for entertainment purposes rather than taken seriously with blind faith.

yeahh i know. but it makes sense that your arm span should be your height, +/- an inch or so? but mine is like... 2.5-3 inches more than my height... hah. I'm just hoping that I can still grow some more. =)

i think its fine. i mean my arm span is 4'7, and i am 4'8

No, and since you get shorter throughout the day (well most people do) no-one's height can be truly equal to their arm span.

Ya but this is just YOU.

You, one of 6 billion people. Do you really think the other 6 billion people are also arm span to height equivalent? Of course not!

Howcome some girls have really long legs, and others have short stubby legs?

Howcome some people have long arms and others have shorter arms?

Generally speaking, the taller you are, the longer your arm span is. But that doesnt mean theres an equal height to arm span length.

What if the growth plates of your arms fuse years sooner than the growth plates of your legs? Or vice versa? This would result in significant differences.

And theres a significant number of factors that would influence such things.


Maybe arm span to height ratio will apply to some, but to believe it applies to all, or even the majority, would be pretty crude logic.


And explodius makes a good point regarding the height variances throughout the day. What defines the proper point in time to assess arm span to height correlations? I guess your morning height (peak height).