Calculating Ideal Body Weight for Amputees

• July 29, 2014

Calculating Ideal Body Weight for Amputees

When assessing an amputee’s weight, the estimated weight of the limb needs to be taken into account.  The information below is used as part of the body weight calculations for amputees.

Example Calculation

A male patient is 5 foot, 8 inches tall and has a full arm amputation.

The first task is to determine his Ideal Body Weight at the current height:
For a man, use 106 pounds for the first 5 feet and then add 6 pounds for each additional inch:  106 lbs + (6 lbs per inch x 8 inches) = 154 pounds.

Next, find a range of +/- 10% of this weight (not accounting for the amputation):
Range factor:  154 lbs x 0.10 = 15.4 lbs
High range weight:  154 lbs + 15.4 lbs = 169.4 lbs
Low range weight:  154 lbs – 15.4 lbs = 138.6 lbs

Finally, find the Ideal Body Weight range for the amputation using the weight ranges above (for an entire arm amputation, use a body weight factor of 5% – see chart above):
Amputation Factor Weight (high range):  169.4 lbs x 0.05 amp factor = 8.47 lbs
Amputation Factor Weight (low range):  138.6 lbs x 0.05 amp factor = 6.93 lbs
High range weight:  169.4 lbs – 8.47 lbs est amp weight = 160.93 lbs
Low range weight:  138.6 lbs – 6.93 lbs est amp weight = 131.67 lbs

This 5 foot, 8 inch patient with an entire arm amputation has an Ideal Body Weight range goal of approximately 161 lbs to 132 lbs.