Welcome to our guide on how to measure your leg correctly.
You will need to know your leg length if you are shopping for a new bike, looking to get some bespoke jeans or dress pants made by a tailor, or are generally curious about your leg length (maybe you’re super tall like me!)
Other ways this may be worded:
- How to measure legs?
- How to measure leg length for pants?
- How to measure inside leg length?
- How to measure leg size?
- How to calculate leg length?
- How to take leg measurements?
What You'll Need:
- Sewing measuring tape
- Flat object
- A friend
Total Time: 5 min
Cost: $3.59
How To Measure Leg Length
Inside leg measurements are the most popular for pants size and easy to find. Grab a friend for a quick and smooth measurement process.
1. Remove your shoes for true leg length
Remove your shoes and wear tight-fitting pants. You can wear socks or bare feet.
2. Put a flat object between your legs in your crotch
Choose a flat object for reference and place it between your legs. Hold it firmly between your legs at crotch height without clenching it tightly.
3. Stand tall before measuring leg length
Stand as tall as you can without arching your back.
4. Measure from floor to top of reference object
Use a measuring tape to measure the distance from the floor to the top of your reference object. Take at least three measurements and find the average to ensure accuracy.
5. Take the outseam measurement also
Take your outseam measurement for pants also. To get your outseam, measure from the top of your waistband down to the bottom of your foot.
How to measure leg length: quick tips
- Wearing tight-fitting pants provides a more accurate height measurement.
- Slouching affects the accuracy of your measurement, so be sure to stand up straight.
- Hold the flat object loosely between your legs because squeezing it hard will affect your posture and give you an inaccurate measurement.
How To Measure True Leg Length
What You'll Need:
- Sewing measuring tape
- A friend
Total Time: 3 min
Cost: $3.59
1. Grab a friend to measure your true leg length
Grab a friend to help you measure your legs. Measuring your own true leg length is next to impossible to do accurately
2. Lay down on the floor for true leg length
Lay down on the floor with your back with your legs extended, and your feet spread hip-width apart.
3. Measure from your hip to ankle
Measure from your hip to your ankle. Find the bony joint where your hip meets your leg. Measure from this point to the bony joint of your ankle. Repeat on both sides; this is your outseam number.
How to measure true leg length: quick tips
- The anterior superior iliac spine or ASIS is the bony point where your hip meets your leg.
- Talk to your doctor if you find a significant discrepancy. Some difference in leg length is standard.
- No one has perfectly symmetrical legs, but a difference of more than 15 mm (0.59 in) could impact your gait (walking).
Once you have your leg length correct you will need to know how to measure the rest of your clothes.
FAQ
The length of your leg is measured from your crotch all the way down the floor. This will give you your leg length for buying a new bike or pair of pants.
You measure your legs from the inside of your crotch. You do not want to get the addition of your hips and butt into your leg length measurement. This will give you a false measurement.
