Comparison of Anthropometric Dimensions in Healthy and Disabled Individuals

[Background]Anthropometry is a very accurate tool in ergonomic design process; the design of appropriate rehabilitation equipment based on anthropometric data results in disabled empowerment, decreased health expenses, and allows disabled individuals to live and act in the society like other healthy citizens. The purpose of this study was to determine anthropometric dimensions of disabled male and female cases (wheelchair users) and compare this with healthy individuals.[Methods]This analytic-descriptive study was performed during year 2012 in Tehran city. The sample population consisted of 314 disabled and healthy individuals, including 150 healthy and 79 disabled males and 50 healthy and 35 disabled females. The age range of samples was 25 to 55 years old. Disabled individuals were manual wheelchair paraplegic users while healthy participants were official staff. The simple probability sampling method was used. In this research, 9 (9) anthropometric dimensions, applied for designing wheelchair and seats, were measured.[Results]This research showed that the average sitting height was 78.4 ± 6.75 cm among disabled males and 58.47 ± 4.5 cm among disabled females. Also, the sitting height was 90.97 ± 3.55 among healthy males and 83.72 ± 4.54 among healthy females. Comparison between healthy and disabled male and female subjects showed that 6 out of 9 dimensions had a significant difference between them P < 0.05; also, comparison of two studies from America and Poland, showed that the hip dimension of Iranian wheel chair users was greater.[Conclusions]The results indicate significant differences among healthy and disabled individuals in anthropometric dimensions and the highest difference was found in the height dimension and access limits.