A medical scale is calibrated to give accurate, consistent readings. It consists of a platform you stand on, a vertical post with two sliders used to select weight and a horizontal bar near the top, which indicates how accurate the selects weight is. The right-hand tip of the bar protrudes through a small hole cut in the open slider frame. When the appropriate weight is selected on the sliders, the tip will balance perfectly in the open hole without touching the top or bottom edges.
Step 1
Remove your shoes, coat, purse and anything else heavy. Your doctor or trainer may want to weigh you in the same clothes (or even a hospital gown if you're in a clinic) every time to eliminate variances caused by the weight of your clothing.
Step 2
Stand on the scale platform, weight evenly distributed between both feet, facing the vertical portion of the scale.
Step 3
Slide the lower, larger slider to the right until the horizontal bar drops down to the bottom of the frame, indicating that the weight you've selected is too heavy. Then move the slider one notch to the left. Note that the slider should fit firmly into the notch, not in between notches, and that the notches are usually marked in 50-pound intervals.
Step 4
Use one finger to slide the smaller slider on top of the scale slowly to the left or right until the horizontal bar balances perfectly without touching the top or bottom of the frame. If the horizontal bar is resting on the bottom of the frame, the weight the scale currently shows is too heavy; move the slider to the left to select a lighter weight. If the bar is against the top of the frame, the weight the scale's currently showing is too light; move the slider to the right to select a heavier weight.
Step 5
Read the weight on the scale by adding the value of the bottom slider to the value of the top slider. So if the scale balanced with 150 pounds selected on the bottom slider and 25 pounds selected on the top slider, you weigh 150 plus 25, or 175, pounds.
