Skulderbredden

Skulderbredden is the horizontal distance between the outermost points of the shoulders, typically defined in anthropometry as the biacromial breadth. It is a key body measurement used in fields such as clothing design, ergonomics, biomechanics, and medical assessment to describe shoulder width and upper body proportions.

Measurement methods commonly involve a person standing upright with arms relaxed at the sides. A flexible measuring tape is placed from the left to the right acromion process, the bony points at the top of the shoulders, and read to the nearest millimeter or centimeter. The tape should lie flat without compressing soft tissue, and posture should be standardized to ensure consistency. Measurements can also be taken with the subject seated or supine in certain protocols, but standing measurements are most usual.

Variation in skulderbredden is influenced by age, sex, genetics, body size, ethnicity, and posture or muscular development. In adults, ranges vary widely across populations, but generally, shoulder width falls roughly within the mid-30s to 50 centimeters, with men typically exhibiting larger values than women. It can be affected by factors such as growth, training, and health conditions that influence bone and soft tissue structure.

Applications of skulderbredden include determining garment sizing (sleeve and shoulder fit), designing ergonomic tools, seating, and safety equipment, as well as in clinical and forensic assessments of body proportions. See also biacromial breadth, anthropometry, and ergonomics.