“Weight training stunts your height growth”, Myth or a Fact?

Have you been ever told before that lifting weights / weight training / strength training / going to the gym can stunt your height growth? I am sure you have received such advice at least once in your life from various sources. But is it true? Should you believe in those statements? Let’s understand the concept physiologically.

How do you grow and what is the growth based on?

During adolescence, your long bones have growth plates connected to each end. These plates help in increasing the length of your bones through multiplication of chondrocytes, a certain type of cells in your body. This is what makes the bones longer and you, gain height. In a normal scenario, your height growth is majorly based on 2 factors – genetics and nutrition. No amount of hanging on pull up bars, skipping, cycling, swimming or even consuming milk additives for that matter is going to help you in increasing your height. Only hormonal imbalances can result in abnormal height growth. All you can do on your part is eat well.

What can hamper the height growth?

There are a few factors that can hamper your height growth. To name a few, improper nutrition during hitting puberty and damage to the growth plate can be considered as major factors. Along with these two, low vitamin D and calcium levels can hamper the height growth too. Hence, it is very important to keep those levels in check and take supplementation too if necessary.

The fuss about lifting weights and stunting of height growth

There is a misconception that if you apply external force on to the growth plates, it damages the multiplication of chondrocytes which help in increasing the potential height growth. But that is not the case. Now you know what your height growth is based on. In fact, some studies say that weight training or resistance training helps you grow because it helps in increasing growth promoting hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone. The only time there is a connection between lifting weights and stunting of growth is when there are injuries involved because of the improper form and technique. This is observed very commonly among growing children as they try to compete against each other to see who lifts more without focusing on how to perform the exercise correctly. Hence, it is very important for them to perform weight training under supervision with right form and technique. It is advised that the earlier they learn the basic movement patterns such as squatting, lunging, hinging, pushing, pulling etc, the better it is for them to explore the world of fitness from a very young age which may help them develop interest in the same and can help them from a long-term perspective.

Conclusion

The reason you see Olympic Weightlifters short in stature is because they are naturally short and not because they have become short because of lifting weights. Just like a fast bowler in cricket has certain natural advantages in bowling because of the tall height, a weightlifter has advantages in his/her sport because of the short height. A tall fast bowler may get more bounce compared to a short fast bowler since there is a difference in the height of the release point. In the same way, a short weightlifter has shorter limb lengths because of which it becomes comparatively easier for them to lift the weight.

To all the parents out there, your child can lift weights and you do not need to worry about their height, your genes have already defined the same for them.

– Sushant Nerurkar

(MBA – Sports Management, ACSM Certified Fitness Trainer & Sports Nutritionist)