Weightlifting makes you shorter

Question

The claim that weightlifting makes you shorter is a myth. The myth is that starting weightlifting too early makes children stunt their growth. In fact, weightlifting can increase bone strength index and decrease risk of injury, even at a young age. Weightlifting with poor form can increase the risk of injury and stunt growth plates, however, if the child or adult is weightlifting with proper form, there are no risk negatives to lifting too early.

Answer 1

There is no proven fact that weightlifting stunts growth or makes you shorter. According to Nike, it can help build strength and coordination, especially in younger athletes. According to uhhospitals.org, it will not cause any stunting but weightlifting can cause injuries and strain to the body of a growing child. So as a result, weightlifting doesn't make you shorter. 

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

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#:~:text=Strength%20training%20does%20not%20stunt,be%20discouraged%20until%20after%20puberty.

Comments

This was an informational answer! And those links were handy, thank you. Though I need to ask, where did they come from? Is there a reason you chose those few specific websites to inspect the claim that weightlifting makes you shorter?

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I like your use of credible sources like University Hospitals and the PubMed study. University Hospitals explains the idea that weightlifting doesn’t stunt growth but highlights the risk of injury if done improperly well and helps to distinguish the common misconception. The PubMed citation from a .gov site adds another layer of validity to the claim.