Weightlifting makes you shorter

Question

There is a big argument that weightlifting will make you shorter over time. However, bad posture and muscle imbalances while doing workouts such as squatting, is the reason for appearing shorter.

Comments

This is a false claim.
Weight-lifting does not make a person shorter. Although if done incorrectly, a person's posture could maybe be affected, this is unlikely and not the same. Weight lifting is actually supposed to help improve posture, if done correctly.

An article posted on Linkedin helps clarify the matter, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/does-weight-training-actually-stop-height-growth-tanush-soni/.
This article, written by Tanush Soni, who declares themselves a motivator, states that there is no scientific reason to support the claim that weight training can negatively affect height.
Soni cites an article from Healthline, which says that weight lifting is a myth. It also says the claim started in reference more to children than adults.
Instead, weight lifting as numerous benefits, including improved posture, increasing strength, and increasing bone strength index.

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This is false. Weightlifting does NOT make you shorter. The author cites information that is not reliable, and they even say that the idea is referring to children, not adults. However, according to BetterHealth.gov, they say weightlifting can have effects on your body, that is making your bone health better and improving overall physical fitness. It no way stunts your growth, especially for children.

LINK: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/resistance-training-health-benefits

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There's nothing supported by scientific evidence that proves weightlifting makes you shorter. Our growth plates are softer throughout our years of childhood but during our teenage years, these growth plates harden. When weightlifting with proper form, you cannot exert enough pressure on the growth plates.
https://www.healthline.com/health/does-lifting-weights-stunt-growth

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The misconception in this post is centered around being versus appearing shorter. The article claims that weightlifting can not lead to a person becoming taller or shorter, but that certain habits associated with weightlifting can make them appear shorter. Some examples of this were squatting or poor posture while exercising. However, an article published by University of Hawaii Hospitals says "Strength training does not stunt growth….however, maximal lifting (highest weight amount you can lift one to three times) may put you at more risk for injury to the growing areas of a child’s body. Therefore, max lifting should be discouraged until after puberty." This statement cautions that  weightlifting underage could lead to injury, therefore putting the body at risk for underdevelopment.

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Weightlifting does not make you shorter. Contrary to a common myth, engaging in weightlifting, when done correctly and under proper supervision, does not stunt growth in children or adults. In fact, weightlifting can have numerous positive effects on the body, including improving bone health and overall physical fitness, according to BetterHealth.gov. It is important to note that weightlifting, when done safely and appropriately, does not inhibit growth, especially in children.

https://www.vinmec.com/en/news/health-news/beauty/does-weight-training-make-you-short/#:~:text=Shortness%20of%20weight%20training%20is,carries%20a%20risk%20of%20injury.

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This statement is incorrect because engaging in weightlifting does not result in a decrease in height. The author relies on unreliable information, specifically information on children and not adults. According to Healthline, Scientific evidence and research confirm that well-structured and supervised resistance training programs offer various benefits for children. These include enhanced strength and bone strength index, reduced risk of fractures and sports-related injuries, as well as fostering self-esteem and a greater enthusiasm for fitness.
https://www.healthline.com/health/does-lifting-weights-stunt-growth#What-does-the-science-say?

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This assertion is untrue.
A person who lifts weights does not get shorter. While it is unusual and not the same, a person's posture may be impacted if done incorrectly. If done properly, lifting weights is really meant to aid with posture.

This Linkedin article (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/does-weight-training-actually-stop-height-growth-tanush-soni/) sheds some light on the subject.
Tanush Soni, a self-described motivator, claims in this article that there is no scientific evidence to back up the idea that lifting weights can have a negative impact on height.
Soni refers to a Healthline article that claims weightlifting is untrue. It adds that youngsters were the target of the claim at first rather than adults.
Rather, lifting weights has many advantages, such as better posture, increased strength, and an increased bone strength index.

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This statement is false and is spreading misinformation. Engaging in lifting exercise, specifically weight lifting, does not result in a decrease or "shrink" in height. Genetics play a major role in your height, however, the process of growth is not at all affected by the weights you are carrying, but your nutrition in take,  lack of sleep, poor posture, etc... For example, a person who often lifts at the gym won't see significant progresses unless they gain weight (bulk), or cut (to maintain/lose weight). In fact, weight lifting helps slow down bone loss, keep you functioning as an adult. However, weight lifting does not make you taller or shorter. There is no scientific evidence to back up the idea that lifting weights can have negative impact. It is impossible to do so. In order to do such an experiment, getting rid of blocks as in choosing healthy males/females who have similar healthy conditions with little to no differences in genetics, and every other factors is very difficult.
Articles:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/does-weight-training-actually-stop-height-growth-tanush-soni/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/does-weight-training-actually-stop-height-growth-tanush-soni/

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Yeah, I totally agree with you. Weightlifting doesn’t shrink your height, and it’s weird how that myth keeps getting around. It’s mostly genetics and things like your nutrition and sleep that affect your growth, like you said. But I wonder, where do you think this misconception started? And do you think enough trainers or coaches talk about proper form and health balance when it comes to young athletes?

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Also, it’s interesting that you mention the challenge of setting up an experiment to test this.

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Hmmm that's a good question. I think high school sports especially, encourages weight lifting for their athletes, even providing students and student athletes with weight lifting classes to educate them about different muscles you can work on and how to correctly do so. Personally, I think because of that, younger generations aren't so quick to think that weight lifting affects their height. In my opinion, I think it may be the older generations who sees the "danger" and the intimidating intensity of weight lifting. There may be a lot of sources where this myth could come from as well.

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I think it's interesting as well. I took statistics in high school and they talked a lot about how difficult it is to conduct an experiment without being biased, using mixed up samples such as using a healthy AND a sick person on the same experiment, etc.

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This statement is not true, weightlifting is for improving strength but as said may lead to injury if not done with proper form. Also the website/blog it came from is very unreliable with ads and promotions on the site. Making it harder to trust the information but when it comes to this claim it's totally not true but was interesting to read about.

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I don't agree with this statement. People all over the world participate in weight training and not once has been research with the claim being proven. With many websites and articles advising to avoid lifting pre-puberty due to injury precautions, there could be other reasons that trigger this argument.

Answer 1

Weightlifting does NOT affect the growth of individuals. According to University Hospitals, "Strength training does not stunt growth…. however, maximal lifting (highest weight amount you can lift one to three times) may put you at more risk for injury to the growing areas of a child’s body. Therefore, max lifting should be discouraged until after puberty." Lifting has had no proof of stunting growth for children, but children should wait till after puberty to lift heavy weights. 

Article: Weight Training Fact Sheet | Sports Medicine Program | University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital | Cleveland, OH | University Hospitals (uhhospitals.org)

Comments

Bravo! You provided a source, a clear explanation, and properly cited your information. Don't forget to select a rating next time please (true, false, N/A, etc.). Thanks.

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Totally agree with that. It seems like the real issue isn’t lifting in general but more about lifting really heavy before the body’s fully developed, like you said. Waiting until after puberty for max lifts makes sense to avoid injury. Do you think this warning is well-known? I wonder how many young athletes or parents actually follow this advice. And even with regular lifting, do you think most kids know how important proper form is, so they don’t hurt themselves while they’re still growing?

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Great job factchecking this claim! You did a great job of providing a trustable source to back up your claim (quotes from University Hospitals) and adding your own commentary. One detail that could have even further improved your fact check could have been adding some of the fallacies regarding lifting weights and growth. Then, you could have proceeded to explain why these details are not true. Furthermore, why did you use University Hospitals as your primary source? Perhaps you could have expanded on what kind of source they are- are they specifically knowledgable regarding weigh lifting or growth?

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I agree with you all the way. The issue isn't weightlifting or not at a certain age, but doing it correctly in a way to avoid injuries or people hurting themselves. You did a good job finding a good reliable source, as the one you used is recent and from a good hospital which focuses on children health as they are growing up. One thing you could have done better is adding some background information about why this is an issue. You could also exactly point out why the claim was not true. Otherwise, Bravo!

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I totally agree with this comment. I used the exact same source and found that weightlifting in fact doesn't stunt your growth as well. I also saw they made a couple suggestions to those aspiring to become weightlifters as well, like using kids equipment. What other things could kids do to prevent injury?

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I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. It is critical to understand that strength training does not prevent children from growing normally. The essential conclusion is that, while moderate weightlifting can improve strength and overall fitness, severe lifting increases the risk of damage, particularly to growth plates. Encouraging safe and age-appropriate training is critical, and young people should focus on perfect form and lesser weights until puberty. This technique enables children to lay a solid foundation while preserving their physical growth.
https://www.healthline.com/health/does-lifting-weights-stunt-growth
https://www.uhhospitals.org/rainbow/services/pediatric-sports-medicine/patient-resources/fact-sheets/weight-training-fact-sheet#:~:text=Strength%20training%20does%20not%20stunt,be%20discouraged%20until%20after%20puberty.

Answer 2

At the beginning of the blog, the author states "No" to the question, "Does weightlifting make you shorter?" This invalidates the whole argument that weightlifting makes you shorter. Throughout the blog, the author explains how poor technique can lead to bad posture which causes some lifters to appear shorter.

Comments

Since it's a blog post, wouldn't it be best to search for solid sources to confirm that weightlifting doesn't make people shorter? Does the author provide evidence and data? If so, then it makes sense to use the claim as a source. However, it's always best to substantiate your fact-checks with citations and sources (besides the claim itself).

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I feel like a blog is too risky of a source to rely on especially when fact-checking a claim like this. Does the blogger have knowledge of quality data? I feel like more sources can be used but the general groundwork of the factcheck is a good start.

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This blog post is not a reliable enough source to base your fact check on, this fact check could be stronger with additional reliable sources to back yours and the original claim.

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I think if you found a scholarly article then it would do a much better job proving your claim. While I agree with your statement, I don't agree with the source behind it

Answer 3

This statement is false, weightlifting at any age (especially at a young age) does not make you short or stump your growth as a child. There is zero data to prove this to be true. "There is no evidence that weightlifting stunts growth" (Nike).

URL:https://www.nike.com/gb/a/can-weightlifting-stunt-growth#:~:text=The%20short%20answer%3A%20no.,stunts%20growth%22%2C%20she%20said.

Comments

Is Nike a legitimate source? Did they provide where they got their information? Nike is a sports brand so without an expert or further data/info it would be difficult to take their word for it.

Answer 4

This is false. The article itself says that weightlifting does not make you shorter. It does say that due to poor posture and muscle imbalances it can make you simply appear that way. There is no scientific evidence that shows weightlifting as harmful on growth plates. According to UT Austins University Service Blog it is great for making bones stronger and can decrease the risk of injury but does not do anything to someones height

Comments

Nice work -- don't forget to include a citation/source for where you found your info.

Answer 5

This information is true. This article by University of Texas explains there is no evidence that high impact sports including weight training damage the bone growth plates, preventing growth. Though the article does mention it is extremely important to learn how to weigh lift properly to avoid bad posture and injury. There are many linked credible sources cited. 

Comments

Did you mean to say the claim is false?

Answer 6

Misinformation 

The claim on News Detective was that weightlifting makes a person shorter. However, the person who linked this article immediately disproved their own claim. This article explains that lifting weights builds muscle, but that it does not actually cause a change in a person’s bones. This article was written by a coach and Pro Olympic trainer, which lends credibility to it. Furthermore, this is a website that is based around exercise tips and Olympic training programs.  

Comments

Doing research on the topic and digging further outside of the claim source, which is a blog, would make for a stronger fact-check.

Answer 7

There are many articles online discussing weightlifting and its effect on our bodies. Some argue that it stunts our growth, and others argue it makes us appear shorter. The article shares how, although it appears that weightlifting stunts our growth, it could simply be an illusion called bad posture. The statement is false. No scientific proof exists to show that weightlifting will stop people from growing. Height is genetics, so it is impossible to change it through exercise. I found another article titled “Can Weight Lifting Stunt Growth? Experts Explain” on Nike's website. In 2020, a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics shared, “resistance training programs have no apparent negative effect on linear growth, growth plate health, or the cardiovascular system of children and adolescents.” 

Comments

Don't forget to add URLs to your sources, going forward. Thanks!

Answer 8

No, weightlifting does not stunt growth or make you shorter. According to Healthline magazine, no scientific research proves weightlifting will shorten you. In return, it will increase muscle and bone strength. A blog from the University of Texas also states that it will not affect growth and that this claim is completely false.

Comments

Don't forget to add URLs to your sources, going forward. Thanks!

Answer 9

Weightlifting doesn't make you shorter. The reason people may appear shorter is because of the posture they have while squatting. Building different muscles in your back causes your posture to change, which in turn can make you appear shorter.

https://torokhtiy.com/blogs/guides/does-weightlifting-make-you-taller-or-shorter#:~:text=Due%20to%20bad%20posture%20and,real%20size%20of%20your%20bones.

Answer 10

This would be false information. According to an article Will weightlifting make you shorter? by The Trusty Spotter, they go over the science of how height actually works. Towards the end of the article they summarize that weightlifting will not stunt your growth. 

Will weightlifting make you shorter? (The science) - Trusty Spotter

Comments

FALSE
There's nothing supported by scientific evidence that proves weightlifting makes you shorter. Our growth plates are softer throughout our years of childhood but during our teenage years, these growth plates harden. When weightlifting with proper form, you cannot exert enough pressure on the growth plates.
https://www.healthline.com/health/does-lifting-weights-stunt-growth