How to Measure Leg Length
Men's Guide
To measure your leg length or true leg length, you will need to grab a friend or go to a tailors. Both of these measurements will be more accurate with help. Start by standing upright with a bit of a gap between your legs, so you are not flexing them together. Place the measuring tape at your inner thigh and run it down to the bottom of your ankle. Follow the leg length measurements below.
This is How to Measure Leg Length: Men’s Guide.
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?
Tools needed to measure your leg correctly.
- Measuring tape
1. How to Measure Leg Length
- Remove your shoes and wear tight-fitting pants. You can wear socks or bare feet.
- Stand as tall as you can without arching your back.
- 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.
- 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.
- Take your outseam measurement for pants also. To get your outseam, measure from the top of your waistband down to the sole of your shoe. If you’re not wearing shoes, measure to the bottom of your foot instead.
How to Measure Leg Length: 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.
2. How to Measure 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.
- Lay down on the floor with your back with your legs extended, and your feet spread hip-width apart.
- 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: 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.
How to Measure Leg Length 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.
