Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Weight of A Human Leg
Approximately how many pounds would an amputated leg weigh if the patient were 6` tall and 150 pounds? Thank you.
The weight of the amputated limb will depend upon the level of the amputation and the presence of additional medical problems. The weight of the leg will also depend on the body type of the person. People with a more muscular body type will have a heavier leg than those whose body is made up of more fatty tissue. Some types of severe swelling such as lymphedema will add a significant amount to the weight of the leg.
In general the leg is approximately 9-10% of the weight of the entire body. In this case assuming no other significant medical issues, the weight of the entire leg would be around 15 pounds.
Joel Mayerson, MD
Clinical Associate Professor of Orthopaedics
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University