The risk of lifting weights can make the body shorter: myth or fact?

Weightlifting offers a number of health benefits including weight loss, burning fat, building muscle, and fighting osteoporosis. But behind these tempting benefits, many people are still hesitant to start because they are haunted by whispers of neighbors who say that the risk of lifting weights can make the body stump, aka shorter. Especially if it is done routinely by children and adolescents. Really, is that so?

Why is there an assumption that lifting weights can make the body short?

The growth in height of a person in adolescence is influenced by the epiphyseal plate, also known as the growth plate, which is located at the end of the long bones. These plates will divide and regenerate throughout the child's developmental stage to form new bone in the process. Epiphyseal plate closure generally occurs between the ages of 17-23 years, which is characterized by the compacting of the soft bone disc (cartilage) to form mature bone.

Several factors that can affect how quickly the epiphyseal plate closes and determines a person's height include the genetics of the parents, nutritional intake, and physical activity during growth.

Because the epiphyses plays an important role in bone growth, many parents worry that these plates are damaged or close too quickly as a result of their child's weightlifting activities. This is what triggers the belief that the risk of lifting weights can inhibit a person's height growth.

Relax, lifting weights does not make the body short

Weight lifting has long been known to increase bone density in adults. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine Research found evidence that weight lifting actually had a positive impact on the development of the epiphyseal plate growth.

Dr. Avery Faigenbaum from the University of Massachusetts also expressed the same thing. Concerns about weightlifting stifling growth in children and adolescents are outdated and misleading. Apart from lifting weights, he recommends that you continue to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to stimulate height growth.

The body that gets shorter with age is not always a risk of lifting weights

Even so, loss of height is not impossible regardless of what physical activity you do. Humans can lose several centimeters of height because the disk joints between the vertebrae wear out over time and become compressed, causing them to warp. The body that gets shorter with age can also be affected by loss of bone density (osteoporosis).

Loss of muscles in the torso can also result in a slouched posture. Even gradual straightening of the arch of your foot can make you a little shorter. Loss of height can be a sign of a general lack of health or poor nutrition.

Benefits of lifting weights for children and adolescents

Weightlifting does not only have to be done with heavy weights. It can also be done with a retaining bracelet, fitness ball or with the child's own weight, such as planking.

As reported by the Mayo Clinic, some of the benefits of lifting weights for children and adolescents include:

Strengthens bones and muscles
Increase physical endurance
Protects tendons and ligaments
Increase bone density
Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels as well as maintain blood pressure
Helps maintain a healthy body weight
Strengthens performance during sports and injuries during sports
Allows the nervous system and muscles to interact more efficiently.

Weight lifting can be started early. The youngest age allowed is 7 or 8 years. In addition, weight training should be started before children reach puberty or at least 12 years of age because their bodies are more flexible and easier to train.

That must be considered if the child wants to lift weights

As mentioned above, lifting weights basically does not inhibit height growth. Many health professionals today recognize that the health benefits of resistance training outweigh the risk of plate damage. But, don't lift weights carelessly if you don't want to get injured.

For children, supervision is key. The risk of injury is real, but it can be minimized with proper technique and supervision. Some of the risks of injury that often come to children are fractures, bone dislocation, spondylolysis, hernias, and even rupture of the heart muscle. The majority of these injuries occur in children who exercise alone, without expert adult supervision.

That is why, if a child wants to do weight lifting, or other physical activity, it is better to always be supervised by a qualified trainer and therapist so that it can reduce the risk of injury. In addition, proper supervision when the child is doing physical activity will also maximize the potential benefits.