Viking, generally speaking we do not see erections in medical practice. Even if we did then it would only be anecdotal.
Penile length and circumference: a study on 3,300 young Italian males.
Ponchietti R, Mondaini N, Bonafe M, Di Loro F, Biscioni S, Masieri L.
Department of Urology, University of Florence, Italy.
OBJECTIVE: The knowledge of normal variations in the size of male external genitalia is of considerable interest to several disciplines. We carried out an extensive study in young Italian males to provide estimates of normal variations of penile dimensions. METHODS: The penile length in flaccid and stretched states and the penile circumference were measured in a random group of 3,300 young men aged 17-19 years and free from endocrine disorders and from congenital or acquired abnormalities of the penis. In a random sample of 325 subjects of the same set of people, penile length and circumference were also correlated with weight and height. Statistical analysis was performed with the Spearman test, because our data were not normally distributed as tested by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (p < 0.01). RESULTS: The median values of penile dimensions recorded in the present study are flaccid length 9.0 cm, flaccid circumference, at the middle of the shaft, 10.0 cm, and stretched length 12.5 cm. [4.92 inches] We also observed that the penile dimensions are highly correlated with height and weight. CONCLUSIONS: Since penile length and circumference correlate with anthropometric parameters such as weight and height, we suggest to consider themselves as two bodily measures which display a wide extent of normal variability along the general population.
Penile length in the flaccid and erect states: guidelines for penile augmentation.
Wessells H, Lue TF, McAninch JW.
Department of Urology, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, USA.
PURPOSE: We provide guidelines of penile length and circumference to assist in counselling patients considering penile augmentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively measured flaccid and erect penile dimensions in 80 physically normal men before and after pharmacological erection. RESULTS: Mean flaccid length was 8.8 cm., stretched length 12.4 cm. [4.88 inches] and erect length 12.9 cm. [5.08 inches] Neither patient age nor size of the flaccid penis accurately predicted erectile length. Stretched length most closely correlated with erect length. CONCLUSIONS: Only men with a flaccid length of less than 4 cm., or a stretched or erect length of less than 7.5 cm. should be considered candidates for penile lengthening.
From these two fairly recent studies, (one of which is about Italian men) we have an average stretched length of about 4.9 inches. This agrees with other studies where medical staff have done the measurements and not self measured and self reported surveys (prone to exaggeration, shall we say?)
Stretched lengths are about 95% of full erection so a more accurate estimate of the average erect penis is 5.2 inches. So forget about the much quoted 6 inches.
