Is Your Foot as Long as Your Forearm or Not?

Like the human body in general, the forearm anatomy is both fascinating and complex. And while much of our limbs and body parts follow certain rules, we don’t all have the exact same physiques.

So let’s answer the question at hand: Is your foot as long as your forearm?

Let’s find out the truth.

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Is your foot the same size as your forearm?

A man showing that your foot is the same size as your forearm

According to da Vinci, the foot is the same size as your forearm. And by forearm, he means the distance between your elbows and wrists.

There are countless discussions about his observations online, each of which draws different conclusions. But one thing’s for sure, a strong foot forearm correlation exists.

While you might not get a perfect 1:1 ratio, if you try the measuring experiment for yourself, there’s a high chance that your forearm bones will be of a similar length to your feet.

This is the same for other human body parts, too, like height and arm span, which are also roughly similar. These are called human body ratios, and they’re a fascinating topic to delve into if you have some spare time.

So, can forearms relate to feet size? Yes, absolutely, there’s a very strong correlation. Just don’t expect a perfect ratio, because there’s a tremendous amount of variance when it comes to the human body.

What explains the foot forearm correlation?

A man trying to figure out the foot forearm correlation

It seems like the human body simply functions optimally when certain body parts are in proportion. Perhaps these correlations have always existed, too, and people have simply grown used to them and now view them as normal.

But it’s not like we can completely explain the correlation (at least not in this article) because to explain it, we’d have to attempt to explain why humans were created in the first place.

Obviously, these meditations are beyond the scope of this article, and in truth, they’re beyond the scope of this fitness website. Nonetheless, I hope that these questions give you some food for thought and material for further research and investigation.

How to measure the correlation correctly

A man showing that your forearm is roughly the size of your foot

So, is your foot the same size as your forearm in all cases? There’s only one way to find out, test it!

Place one foot against the opposite forearm and observe the similarities. Then, take a tape measure and manually measure the length of each. Make sure to record the measurement on some paper or in a spreadsheet. Then, for extra accuracy, you may wish to make a couple more measurements so that you can be sure that your measuring technique for determining the correlation is reliable.

If you’re really curious about the correlation between forearm and feet size, then you can also ask other people to share their measurements. Or perhaps you can measure them yourself (with permission, of course!).

By comparing your own measurements with those of other people, you’ll also be able to work out if you have long arms or big feet compared to the average person. You’ll be able to observe gender differences and the like, too.

The verdict: Is your foot as long as your forearm or not?

A woman trying to see if her foot is the same size as her forearm

So, is your foot as long as your forearm? Or is it all a giant myth? To answer the first question, yes, your foot is roughly the same length as your forearm. While the correlation doesn’t result in a perfect 1:1 ratio, there are definitely similarities that anyone who’s taken these kinds of measurements can attest to.

In this respect, the human body is quite predictable, because as I mentioned earlier, the foot and the forearm aren’t the only two body parts that are of a similar size.

Of course, there are also outliers. Maybe you have enormous feet? Or perhaps you have particularly long arms? If that’s the case, then I wouldn’t worry about it because we all have supposed “abnormalities” in some areas and to certain degrees.

Also, your best bet is to place your foot against your forearm so that you can actually observe the similarities for yourself. From there, you can take additional data by verifying the similarities with a tape measure.

References

Marinkovic, N., & Vasic-Vilic, J. (2012). Correlation between the lenghts of the long bones of the forearm and the fibula with body height in our population. Vojnosanitetski Pregled, 69(5), 394–398. https://doi.org/10.2298/vsp1205394m
Bogin, B., & Varela-Silva, M. I. (2010). Leg Length, Body Proportion, and Health: A Review with a Note on Beauty. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 7(3), 1047–1075. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph7031047