FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-62/1

Title and Subtitle: An analysis of sitting areas and pressures of man

Report Date: January 1962

Authors: Swearingen JJ, Wheelwright CD, Garner JD

Abstract: Studies of sitting area on a plane rigid surface for a group of 104 male subjects were made. Area was found to vary with height and weight and to increase with age up to 40 years after which there is a steady decline. Means were 179.4 sq. in. for area and .92 pounds/sq/ in. for average pressure. Sitting contact area was found to increase with experimentally applied force of magnitudes up to something less than the body weight. Analysis of pressure distribution in the sitting area reveals that nearly half of the body weight is supported on 8% of the sitting area. This high pressure area is under or adjacent to the ischial tuberosities. Over one-third of the body weight on the sitting area is removed by the addition of a footrest, chair arms, and slightly sloping seat back.

Key Words: Aircraft Seat, Sitting Area, Weight, Height, Footrest, Chair Arm.

No. of Pages: 13