weightlifting makes you shorter

Question

The claim that weightlifting makes you shorter was quite interesting to me. Doing some research, I found that University Hospitals have this to say.

There is no scientific evidence to prove that weightlifting causes a stunt in growth. It is also important to note that these same researchers recommend not to start weightlifting under the age of 8, in some cases even 12, and not without adult supervision/guidance. This is due to the fact that lifting with improper form or too much weight can cause injury in anyone but particularly an underdeveloped body. This is why University Hospitals do not recommend max strength training until after the body has experienced puberty.

Comments

This fact check is solid, especially where you mention the need for supervision with young weightlifters. One thing to add is that while weightlifting doesn’t stop growth, it can still cause injuries if kids don’t use proper form. That’s actually why experts urge caution for younger lifters. Including an example, like how bad form can lead to injuries in growth, would help make this even clearer

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I appreciate your added info on the importance of supervision in children who want to pursue weightlifting. In addition to just having supervision its import to have the supervision of someone who knows what their doing especially when it comes to weightlifting as it is easy to cause serious injury from minor changes to proper form.

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Weightlifting does not make you shorter or stunt your growth. There is actually a large push right now for you female athletes to begin weight lifting to prevent future injuries. However it is recommended that you don't begin weight lifting until ages 8-12 and it is important to build form before you add on the actual weight. Being shorter however does make it easier to put on muscle mass. A lot of the world's best body builders are shorter, but thats not because of the sport.

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

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Though you source from an athletic wear company which may have some motives for wanting more athletes, it is s solidly backed source that refers to medical and governmental organizations.

Answer 1

The claim that weight lifting makes your shorter is false. The main concern is poor form and injury at that age, which in theory could stunt growth. However, this doesn't come from weightlifting itself. More can be found from the National Medical Library at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17119361/. The study showed significant muscle growth in pre-adolesence and no evidence of a stunt in growth.

Comments

This response is true for most people, and I think generally, what you said is true with some exceptions where underdeveloped kids possibly had some height not manifest due to heavy lifts.

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I 100% agree with your comment. From the source you provided, they say the main thing that will stunt growth is bad form and too heavy of weight. I think the source you added proved credibility to your comment.

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This is a decent fact check! I appreciate that you provided link to a reputable source within the field of health and science (NIH). This does a good job at countering the initial claim while also backing up the factcheck with data.

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I completely agree with your point. The source you shared highlights that poor form and lifting excessively heavy weights are the primary factors that hinder growth. I believe it reinforces the validity of your comment.

Answer 2

This claim is false. In a study done by UT Austin they came to the conclusion that "There is no evidence that high-impact sports like gymnastics, soccer, football, and basketball harm growth plates. The same is true for weight training" (https://sites.utexas.edu/think-twice/2022/03/09/does-weight-training-stunt-growth/). This myth stems from the idea that "high-impact" sports hurt/damage our joints and thus our growth plates, which would supposedly make our growth plates grow less. Again though, this is false as there is no evidence to support the theory.

Comments

I agree with this fact-check, I also like the article used as its University based, recent and contains many different sources.

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I agree with this comment. The article is credible and explains why high impact sports like wrestling, soccer, and others do not damage joints or make our growth palates grow less. It is important to recognize that there is no evidence linked to stunting/decreasing growth and that this claim is incorrect.

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This fact check utilizes a strong source coming from a university. The fact itself is not tied to an article so its hard to research the context in which the claim was made. Overall the fact is false. I bet that there was some research on some of the effects and this exaggerated, incorrect assumption was made. Since that source is so brief I looked at the sources it cited and in a nike article found "For example, a 2020 clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics stated that properly designed resistance training programs have no apparent negative effect on linear growth, growth plate health, or the cardiovascular system of children and adolescents." This also disproves the claim. The clinical repost that that comes from is credible.

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/145/6/e20201011/76942/Resistance-Training-for-Children-and-Adolescents?autologincheck=redirected
https://www.nike.com/a/can-weight-lifting-stunt-growth
https://sites.utexas.edu/think-twice/2022/03/09/does-weight-training-stunt-growth/

Answer 3

The claim that weightlifting makes you shorter or stunts your growth is not true. However, this does not mean it is completely safe. According to UT Austin, "There is no evidence that high-impact sports like gymnastics, soccer, football, and basketball harm growth plates. The same is true for weight training". The risks that are present when weight lifting include, blunt trauma and torn ligaments. (UT Austin)

https://sites.utexas.edu/think-twice/2022/03/09/does-weight-training-stunt-growth/

https://www.healthline.com/health/does-lifting-weights-stunt-growth

https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/weight-lifting-for-children-and-teens.html 

Comments

I thought overall your fact check was pretty good using the UT Austin source. I was wondering why you added a few sources that you didn't reference in your fact check. I think overall adding and then also referencing these sources could help strengthen your factcheck. Right now it is a bit confusing to have extra sources that were not referenced.

Answer 4

People do say that weightlifting stunts growth. However, this is a myth, as no form of physical activity affects growth plates. Weightlifting can easily affect your body physically in other ways (positive or negative.) Strength training can also affect bone density, which may be one of the main causes of this myth.

https://www.healthline.com/health/does-lifting-weights-stunt-growth#What-does-the-science-say

Answer 5

The claim that weight lifting makes you shorter is false. While weightlifting isn't entirely safe the claim that it makes your shorter is completely false. Things that can cause injuries are not having the right form could lead to injuries but not weight lifting itself. And article by the National Library of Medicine shows a study if resistance training programs influenced pre and early pubertal youth. With results showcasing that training with weights and resistance machines are relatively safe and don't have a hand in negatively impacting growth and maturation for youth.

pubmed.ncbi.nih.gov/17119361/

Comments

While your case is convincing, I was unable to find an article that backed up your response, and the link provided doesn’t work. Would you happen to have any other sources to support this claim?

Answer 6

The claim that weightlifting makes you shorter is false. According to University Hospitals, “Strength training does not stunt growth….however, maximal lifting…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.” A common piece of advice is to not start weight lifting until you are around 13 years old. However, this has nothing to do with weightlifting stunting growth or making you shorter. Instead, it is so that injuries don’t occur with underdeveloped bodies.

Comments

Please always include sources for anything you cite (University Hospitals).

Answer 7

The claim that weightlifting makes you shorter is a myth. Numerous scientific sources have debunked this misconception. Trusty Spotter clarifies that weightlifting, when done correctly, does not affect height negatively. Healthline supports this by stating that weightlifting does not stunt growth and is beneficial when supervised. BetterMe World further emphasizes the advantages, including muscle development and mental health benefits. Thus, weightlifting does not make you shorter; instead, it offers multiple health benefits.

https://trustyspotter.com/blog/weightlifting-shorter/?form=MG0AV3

https://www.healthline.com/health/does-lifting-weights-stunt-growth?form=MG0AV3

Do Squats Make You Shorter? Stunted Growth Myth Debunked - BetterMe

Answer 8

Weightlifting does not stunt growth or “make you shorter” as it’s an entirely unbased myth. The University of Texas at Austin touched on this in their medical myths blog (Does weight training stunt growth? | Think Twice), stating that there is no evidence that weight training harms growth plates. Although the logic of gravitational pull condensing an object when a heavy one is placed on top checks out, that’s just not how the human skeletal structure works. The Men’s Health site also reinforces that, “lifting weights will not stunt your growth.” (Does Weight Lifting Stunt Growth - Why Kids Can Strength Train) Nike also cites a clinical report by the American Academy of Pediatrics from 2020 which states: “properly designed resistance training programs have no apparent negative effect on linear growth, [or] growth plate health”. Due to the widespread circulation of this idea, “weightlifting makes you shorter” can be classified as a myth.

Answer 9

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.

Weight training itself does not stunt growth. Scientist claim this is just a myth and half-truths. However, without the proper methods or schedule, they can cause a person to be more prone to injuries especially if the individual hasn't hit puberty. It is discouraged because it can cause a child who hasn't gone through puberty to go through as stunt of growth. 

Answer 10

The claim that lifting weights makes you shorter, or stunts your growth, is completely false. Often times the confusion surrounding this claim arises from injuries to people's growth plates as a result of lifting weights, but there is no indication that simply lifting weights will stunt ones growth. The article I've linked below does actually articulate that maxing out weight at a young age will potentially stunt growth, so it is recommended to not begin weight lifting, or at least with heavy amounts until after puberty. 

https://www.uhhospitals.org/rainbow/services/pediatric-sports-medicine/patient-resources/fact-sheets/weight-training-fact-sheet#:~:text=Strength%20training%