Comparative Anthropometry of the Hand

Abstract

Abstract : Comparative anthropometric data on the human hand are presented and discussed in detail in this technical report. Since reliable and definitive data on the hands of the U.S. civilian population are lacking, anthropometric data on the hands of the U.S. military population of men and women may be utilized in analyses of handwear sizing. Data are presented for ten hand measurements: Hand Length, Palm Length, Thumb Crotch Length, Hand Breadth, Hand Breadth at Thumb, Hand Circumference, Hand Circumference at Thumb, Fist Circumference, Wrist Circumference, and Hand Thickness. These hand measurements are defined and illustrated. Detailed anthropometric data on the hands of U.S. Army men and women are presented in the form of bivariate tables which depict the distribution of various categories of hand sizes, and show the interrelationships among hand dimensions. Selected anthropometric data on the hands also are presented for a variety of foreign military populations in order to illustrate the range of variation in hand size to be found in different parts of the world. In the final section, hands and handwear are examined in terms of the sizing of handwear, and the development of tariffs for handwear is explained with illustrative examples. An extensive bibliography concludes the report.