Table of contents:
- When does height stop growing?
- At what age will start to decrease in height?
- Why is the height decreasing?
Height growth does not occur throughout life. Height will increase rapidly, then it will stop. And it doesn't stop there, your height can decrease as you get older. Then, when will height growth stop and when will it decline?
When does height stop growing?
The growth in height stops when the plates in the long bones close so that the bones cannot get longer. This generally occurs when you are still at puberty. Therefore, before puberty ends, you should make the best use of this opportunity to increase your height.
When you enter puberty will vary from person to person. However, generally women will go through puberty earlier than men.
Women begin to enter puberty at the age of 8-13 years and experience peak growth at the age of 10-14 years. Two years after puberty begins, women will reach their peak in height growth. And, then the growth in height stops at about the age of 14-16 years (depending on when puberty starts).
Meanwhile, men begin to enter puberty at the age of 10-13 years. And, tend to experience a peak growth at the age of 12-16 years. Generally in men, growth in height stops at the age of 18 years (this also depends on when puberty starts), but muscle development will continue.
At what age will start to decrease in height?
Yes, our height can decrease with age, as said by Professor Barbara Workman, director of the Monash Aging Research Center (MON-ARC), reported by ABC Health & Wellbeing.
You will probably start losing about half a centimeter in height to more than one centimeter every 10 years, starting from the age of 40. However, this may be different for each person, some people experience a decrease in height after the age of 60 or 70 years.
Generally, women experience a decrease in height at an earlier age than men. This is because women tend to experience bone loss after menopause. In addition, because men usually have stronger bones and bigger muscles than women.
People who are moderately active may experience a slower reduction in height. Because they have stronger and denser bones and greater muscle mass compared to people who are less active. As you get older, you will also lose muscle mass, in addition to bone mass loss.
Why is the height decreasing?
Still according to Workman, one of the main causes of decreased height is because the disk that forms the cartilage joints between the vertebrae is thinning. This disc acts as a shock absorber and helps the spine to move more flexibly.
As you age, these plates can become thinner and damaged, which can cause your height to decrease. In addition, osteoporosis can also cause your height to decrease. Osteoporosis makes bones more brittle, making them prone to fractures. Fractures that occur in the spine can cause height to decrease.
In addition, sarcopenia which is common in old age can also be a cause of decreased height. Sarcopenia or loss of muscle mass and function that occurs in the torso can cause the body to bend over, resulting in reduced height. Hunchbacks can also be caused by compression fractures of the spine.
