World's Largest Living Hand: Sultan Kösen, Guinness World Record since 2009!

MAY 17, 2015

Guinness World Records:
Sultan Kösen has officially the world's largest living hand since 2009!

Guinness World Records: Sultan Kösen has the world's largest living hand!

On 25 August 2009 Guinness World Records announced that Sultan Kösen from Turkey to be the world's tallest living man; Kösen also holds the current Guinness record for the largest hands, which was measured at 27.5 cm.

However, until august 24, 2014 Kösen's status for the world's largest living hand has been disputed by a man from Ukraine: Leonid Stadnyk (5 August 1970 - 24 August 2014) - the details of his claim are reported in the article belows.

Until august 2014 Leonid Stadnyk (Ukraine) had the world's largest living hand;
however, Robert Wadlow (US) had the largest recorded hand ever!

Spray print of Leonid Standyk's hand.

MARCH 24, 2008
The world's largest living hand
Leonid Stadnyk is the tallest man in the world, his living hand is 31 centimeters long.

Author: Martijn van Mensvoort

• Robert Wadlow is the tallest person in medical history (update: april 12, 2008)
• Leonid Stadnyk refused to be measured under new guidelines (update: august 23, 2008)
• Leonid Stadnyk's hand measured by his mother (update november 7, 2008)

Leonid Ivanovyc Stadnyk from Ukraïne is the world's tallest living man according to Guinness World Records 2008. Leonid Stadnyk's excessive growth began after brain surgery when he was 14 years old. He developed a pituitary gland tumor which caused the gland to secrete large amounts of growth hormone, resulting in what doctors describe as acromegalic gigantism.

On August 8, 2007, Guinness book's spokeswoman Amarilis Espinoza stated that in the 2008 edition of the record book, Mr Stadnyk at 2.59m (8 feet, 5 inches), replaces Bao Xishun, a native of Inner Mongolia in China who stands 2.36 m.

Leonid has the biggest palm in the world as well - his palm is 31 centimeters long. Probably for this reason he does not drink alcohol: any glass looks tiny to him.

On 24 March 2008 Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko presented Leonid Stadnik with a car which was specially adapted for him by Ukrainian corporation Autozaz-Daewoo

Leonid Stadnyk is the world's largest man, his hand is 31 centimeters long.

Leonid Stadnyk with his father.

TIP: You can take a look at Leonid's hand via this wonderfull Leonid Stadnik Youtube video - featured with Michael Buble singing: "You give your hand to me ..."

However, 24 year old macrodactyly patient Liu Hua from Jiangsu (China) is the man who used to have the world's largest human hand ever!
Macrodactyly patient Liu Hua used to have the largest hand in the world ever.

Macrodactyly patient Liu Hua used to have the largest hand in the world ever.

On July 20, 2007 doctors removed 5.1kg of flesh and bone during a surgery procedure. When Liu was hospitalized in Shanghai, his left thumb measured 26 centimeters, his index finger was 30cm and his middle finger 15cm. The overall weight of his left arm was about 10 kilograms.

APRIL 12, 2008 update:

Robert Wadlow is the tallest person in medical history