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.

Answer 1

There is a common misconception that weight training will stunt your growth because the activity will affect a child's growth plates. However, there has been a lot of research to prove that this is false. Although it is still dangerous to let small children lift excess amounts of weight, that is only because the strain is not healthy, nothing to do with their future height. Additionally, weightlifting can prove to be beneficial if done correctly, and not in excess. Even well known brands like Nike have made it a point to disprove this rumor. University and government studies alike also disagree with this theory, their research concluded that there is no effect on growth plates. This claim is false.

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

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

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

Answer 2

The claim that weight lifting makes you shorter is false. While some people expect that to be true since you are lifting weights that are pulling you down people think it makes sense. The concern is injury from a heavy weight or bad form. It isn't safe at a younger age due to this but nothing harmful will happen if you are safe and keep good form.

Answer 3

The claim that weightlifting can make you shorter is false. While people have come to believe that lifting can cause decompression in the spine, this can only be due to poor form and poor regimen. Weightlifting is often used to elongate and expand muscles. This study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17119361/ from the National Medical Library showed that there was no evidence of a stunt in growth in adolescents who lift.

Answer 4

Weight training does in fact NOT make you shorter. Weight lifting builds stamina and muscle it is overall good for your health. The only downsides are strained muscles and the potential for injury. 

“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/