A measuring tape, a ruler or a yardstick A mirror A pencil A small box or thick book
Find a flat, open space of floor next to a wall. Find a place where you can stand with your back to the wall. Find a place where you can make a small pencil mark on the wall. Stand on a hard floor made of concrete, tile or hardwood. Avoid floors covered by carpets or rugs. Try to find a space next to a door or in a corner to help guide your measuring tape. Try to find a location that faces a mirror to eliminate the need for a hand mirror.
Take off your socks and shoes. Measure your height when you are barefoot because flip flops, slippers, and even socks will affect the measurement. Remove anything from your head. Don’t wear a hat, a headband or a ponytail. Keep your hair flat. [1] X Research source Stand with your back against the wall and your feet together. Stand up as straight as possible with your heels, back, shoulders, and head all touching the wall. Tuck in your chin and look straight ahead. [2] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
Hold the box in one hand, and the mirror and pencil in the other. Raise the small box to the top of your head, and press it against the wall. Use the mirror to make sure the box is horizontal to the floor and perpendicular to the wall, forming a right angle. Do not tilt the box as this will cause an inaccurate measurement.
Mark the place on the wall where the bottom of the box is resting. Hold the box in its position and slide out from under it, if possible. Try putting your finger at the bottom of the box and hold it in position as you slide out of position. You may be able to make the mark without sliding out of position at all.
If your measuring tape is too short to measure your full height, measure as high as you can and make a pencil mark on the wall. Note the measurement. Keep measuring this until you reach the pencil mark you made using the box. Add the individual measurements together to get your height.
Consider this method if you need to find your height right away and don’t have time to get a ruler. Be aware that this will be an approximate measurement.
Lay the bill next to the string. Lay the bill and string flat with your hand. Mark the end of the bill on the string with a marker and repeat until you reach 6 feet. Use another bill if you don’t have a dollar bill.
Be sure not to break the string. Stand up straight with your feet and back against the wall. Mark the top of your head on the wall. Look at the string to find your height.
Find a digital stadiometer if possible. Using a digital stadiometer will yield a more accurate result. Look for a stadiometer that is constructed out of a ruler and a sliding horizontal headpiece that you can adjust to rest on the top of the head. Consider asking your doctor to measure your height with a stadiometer.
Take off your socks and shoes. Measure your height when you are barefoot because flip flops, slippers, and even socks will affect the measurement. Remove anything from your head. Don’t wear a hat, a headband or a ponytail. Press down on the stadiometer to keep your hair flat. [6] X Research source Stand on the stadiometer platform with your back against the wall and your feet together. Stand up as straight as possible with your heels, back, shoulders, and head all touching the wall. Tuck in your chin and look straight ahead. [7] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
Make sure that vertical arm works properly before trying to measure yourself. Keep in mind that you may need to fold or flip the horizontal arm up so that it is perpendicular with the floor.
Keep in mind that your height will be displayed on the vertical pole of the stadiometer. Look for an arrow pointing to the measurement at the base of the horizontal arm. Be aware that digital stadiometers will display your height on a small screen instead.
