Hello

if I understood correctly, you need a step-length dependence of the humman height .

Usually we use the formula:

Step length = (height (in meters) / 4)+0.37

Thank you - yes I think that's it. How would that look in excel or access?

Hello

I have no expertise on the topic, but looking at this forum, Ekaterina Yu. Dikman's formula would look like this in an excel:

Interesting. I'll check it out. 

Thank you. 

Dear Eugene,

In a work about changes in spatiotemporal parameters of gait from first steps to adulthood, I computed step length normalized by height and by lower limb length (distance between the greater trochanter and the ground, passing through the lateral malleolus). 

Only data for normalization by lower limb are presented in the article but the result for normalization by height in the 20 healthy is 0.40 (0.02). In simple words, the step length represents 40% (+/- 2%) of the height. As step length is relatively symmetric in healthy adults, we can consider the stride length represents about 80% of the height.

Keep in mind the walking speed (hence the stride length) is adjusted according the conditions (schedule, mood, walking with someone else, etc.) and you can only get an estimation of the height.

What is exactly the purpose of your computation? Is it related to identification of person according the stride length (criminal recognition for example)?

Yes, that's it exactly. In crime scene investigations, where shoe print evidence and stride  are amongst the only available evidence, any information that can be exploited, such as approximate height, can be helpful in identifying persons of interest. 

Ok I understand.

When images / surveillance video are also available, the best parameter to look at would be the walk ratio, i.e. step length / cadence. The walk ratio is idiosyncratic that means it is an invariant of an individual independently to the speed he/she walks. It might help to differentiate between individuals.

Step length also varies significantly by many other factors though, such as age, disability, pain, intent, and even mood. For instance, your own stride length varies quite a bit throughout the day although your shoe print would not. I'm afraid arguments made based on such little evidence as shoe print and stride would be tenable at best and extremely misleading at worst.

I agree totally with your comment Roy and, like you, I have a clinical background/use of gait analysis. Gait analysis is like a "precision watchmaking". There is a lot of features to take into account.

However the purpose developed here is different. It is to try to get information to identify someone when you have nothing else. It is more like a photofit picture. Look like a photofit picture is not sufficient to affirm the person is guilty but it can help for investigation.

I agree that it could help with an investigation, but perhaps in the opposite sense. I don't believe it's helpful to say someone could have made these footprints. Rather I think it would be useful as a screening too to say that someone is extremely unlikely to have made these footprints.

As anthropologists make attempts at guessing the height of early man based on stride length and footprint size, they are vague guesses at best. This begins to deviate from science in a way that could see the innocent convicted merely because it is now deemed possible that they could have been at the scene of a crime. It could convince a jury to convict with confidence based on a thin veneer of science.

I agree that there are many factors that prevent quantitative evaluation of height and stride length (in either direction).

I am pleased to see a value of 40% taken as a qualitative guide because for 40 years, I have successfully stated to patients and students alike that "Stride Length Should Be About 1/3rd (33%) Of Height" That formulae has served me well when trying to improve gait pattern, contact gait habits (RF, Midfoot, FF) and for training muscles and neural strategy..

A six foot man should have a two foot stride, mas o menos

To measure stride length, n=1, . Measure a twenty foot walkway. Walk from one end of the walkway to the other, while counting your steps. Divide the number of steps you took by 20.  This is your stride length.

Multiply X 3 and that should = n=1's height in inches.