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

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.

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There is no concrete evidence to suggest weightlifting can stunt your growth. On the contrary, there is some evidence to suggest lifting weights can increase your coordination and muscular structure which when combined with active stretching and rehab workout can make you appear taller. The rumor that weightlifting can stunt your growth likely appeared from certain individuals who have lifted weights with improper form, causing their posture to shift over time making them appear shorter, which can easily be corrected over time with the proper stretches listed earlier.

Article: https://www.nike.com/a/can-weight-lifting-stunt-growth

Answer 1

In this claim we are addressing the argument that weightlifting stunts growth/makes you shorter. The short answer is no, however there are certain precautions that need to be taken if you are a teen that is interested in weightlifting. A 2020 report from the American Academy of Pediatrics that was referenced in an article by Nike states, “properly designed resistance training programs have no apparent negative effect on linear growth, growth plate health, or the cardiovascular system of children and adolescents.” As long as the training follows the age appropriate guidelines and is done in a safe and mindful way, there is no harm that should befall youth when exercising with weights. It is important that younger children and teens participate in cardiovascular exercise as it promotes a healthy lifestyle is beneficial in the long run. Lifting should be supervised by an adult and an article by UH Hospitals states, “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.” Weightlifting itself is not harmful to youth as long as the necessary precautions are made under adult supervision. In a 2009 issue by Sports Health they state, “injuries related to strength training for young participants were primarily caused by misuse of equipment, inappropriate weight, improper technique, or lack of qualified adult supervision, rather than by lifting itself.” There is a time and a place for everything and the misuse of proper training can affect the health of adolescents in the long run. As a whole, exercise is very important for the development of youth and weightlifting can be beneficial when practiced correctly. 

https://www.nike.com/a/can-weight-lifting-stunt-growth

https://www.uhhospitals.org/rainbow/services/pediatric-sports-medicine/patient-resources/fact-sheets/weight-training-fact-sheet

Answer 2

The National Library of Medicine has conducted a study to test if weightlifting has a postive/negative correlation to height in young people. They did this test by taking in 20 reports of individuals who trained 2-3 days a week for 8-12 weeks at a time weightlifting and recorded their height and overall health. Their findings were that " Experimental training protocols with weights and resistance machines and with supervision and low instructor/participant ratios are relatively safe and do not negatively impact growth and maturation of pre- and early-pubertal youth. " ( NIH.gov). 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17119361/

Answer 3

According to an article by Nike, weightlifting does not make you shorter. Many rumors state that when a sport is started in years of youth, it can stunt one's growth and they will continue to be short throughout their life. There are different ways to go about these sports and rumors, but weightlifting is a sport that does not stunt your growth or make you shorter. Doing the correct stretches and exercises should have no impact on your height, and if anything, should make you a bit taller. As the different muscles are being worked, it should directly correlate with stretching, which should help to prevent any negative effects.

Answer 4

I believe this argument is misleading because it implies that bad posture and muscle imbalances in weightlifting lead to shorter height. While somewhat true, bad posture and muscle imbalance does not directly lead to a shortened height. Rather, these things can cause injury to the growth plates, which in turn lead to shortened height in teenagers or children.

Answer 5

The idea that weightlifting makes you shorter is a myth. In reality, weightlifting does not stunt growth or compress the spine in a way that would reduce height. It actually strengthens bones, improves posture, and increases bone density, which helps to prevent conditions like osteoporosis later in life. Studies have shown that resistance training, when done with proper form, is safe and beneficial for people of all ages, including children and teenagers. Weightlifting also helps build muscle strength, improves balance, and protects joints from injuries, making everyday activities easier and reducing the risk of injuries as people age. Additionally, it helps to boost metabolism, helps maintain a healthy weight, and can improve mental health by reducing stress and anxiety. With proper technique and training, weightlifting is a safe and effective way to improve overall health and well-being without affecting height.

Sources:

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

- https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/ss/slideshow-benefits-strength

Answer 6

This is false although lifting weights can make you appear shorter it does not lead to a person becoming shorter. Just like has been said weight lifting can cause muscle imbalances and also promote bad posture however these are not things that can not be counteracted. This is also connected to the muscle groups the person focuses on, with a greater back, chest, arms, and legs these bi products are more likely to happen. There are many concerns that weight lifting at a young age will stunt growth however, just like in playing high impact sports such as: soccer, football, basketball, and even gymnastic, weightlifting as well does not harm growth plates or stunt growth according to the University of Texas at Austin https://sites.utexas.edu/think-twice/2022/03/09/does-weight-training-stunt-growth/

Answer 7

When researching this claim, I didn’t find anything that directly stated weightlifting makes a person shorter. Instead, the articles I found focused on whether weightlifting stunts growth, which already suggests that the claim is not true.

An article by Healthline discusses the effects of weightlifting and explains that strength training is actually very beneficial, providing many positive results. While some believe that weightlifting can make a person shorter, science does not support this idea. The article features Dr. Rob Raponi, a naturopathic doctor and certified sports nutritionist, who states, “The misconception that lifting weights stunts growth likely stems from the fact that injuries to growth plates in immature bones can stunt growth” (Healthline). This means that if growth is affected, it is due to improper form or injury, not weightlifting itself. In reality, any sport or physical activity carries some risk of injury, not just weightlifting. The concern in this article is primarily focused on children rather than adults. However, the research shows no direct correlation between weightlifting and stunted growth. Any impact on growth is more likely due to injury rather than the act of weightlifting itself.

In conclusion, this claim is false, as there are no articles that suggest weightlifting causes a person to become shorter. While I understand why some might believe it stunts growth, research does not support this idea. However, it is important to be cautious when weightlifting, as injuries particularly to growth plates can potentially affect a person's growth. Proper form is key to preventing such issues.

 

Sources- 

https://www.healthline.com/health/does-lifting-weights-stunt-growth#Why-do-people-believe-that-lifting-weights-stunts-growth

Answer 8

The very common misconception about lifting weights is that is stunts your growth or makes you shorter. After doing some research it is proven to be completely false and weightlifting can actually do the opposite by strengthening bones and supporting growth. The reason why people think that this claim is real is due to the fact of growth plate concerns. They think that by lifting heavy weight, it will push the growth plates down making you shorter but that is far from the truth. The only way that it could possibly effect growth is by getting a significant injury pre puberty. This is very rare but possible so the claim isnt 100 percent false. All in all, weightlifting does not affect your height in a negative way and instead helps your body grow by making you more strong.

Source- https://www.uhhospitals.org/rainbow/services/pediatric-sports-medicine/patient-resources/fact-sheets/weight-training-fact-sheet

Answer 9

I agree with your claim that weightlifting itself does not inherently make your shorter, and instead bad posture and muscle imbalances during workouts can make you appear shorter. This claim is well supported by the article "Does Weightlifting Make You Taller or Shorter", which uses sound evidence and reasoning to support bad posture and muscle imbalances while doing compound movements is the root cause to appearing shorter.

Another article by University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital supports this claim as well. According to their "Weight Training Fact Sheet", strength training does not disrupt growth, but improper form and a lack of improper form can lead to posture issues.

Weight Training Fact Sheet | Sports Medicine Program | University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital | Cleveland, OH | University Hospitals