Can adults grow taller?

What factors determine people’s height?

Height is determined by several factors, including:

• Genetics
• Gender
• Specific medical conditions
• Nutrition
• Sport

Genetics is the most influential factor in a person’s height. Studies of a reliable source on brother twins show that heredity is the most significant factor in determining a person’s body type.

Quite simply, if a person’s parents are tall, that person is also more likely to be tall. If a person’s parents are short, likely, the person is also short.

Gender is another biological factor that plays a role in determining the total height of individuals. Women usually have less potential for height than men.

Some medical conditions can also play a role in determining a person’s height. The following situations can change how a person grows in childhood:

• Abnormal growth
• Dwarfism
• Arthritis
• Untreated celiac disease
• Cancer
• Any condition that requires long-term use of steroids
• Down syndrome
• Turner syndrome
• Marfan syndrome

Nutrition also affects a person’s height growth potential. Proper nutrition, including food sources like vitamins and minerals, helps people grow taller. Conversely, people who are malnourished may not grow tall enough.

Studies have shown that people get taller as their nutrition improves over time. Therefore, children who eat a diet rich in calcium, protein, and other nutrients can maximize their growth potential.

Physical activity also plays a role in the growth and height of the child because being active causes the secretion of growth hormones. When this hormone is released, a child with open growth plates in their bones may experience more growth than when they are not physically active.

However, when the growth plates in the bones close, the person’s height increase generally ceases. Most women reach a total height between the ages of 14 and 15. Most men reach their full height by the age of 16. It is very unusual for a person to grow after age 19.

Ways to increase height in adulthood

While nothing can be done to increase height in adulthood after the growth plates have closed, there are ways to look taller. These include the following:

Practicing good physical condition

Standing and sitting in a proper position makes people look taller and prevents headaches and back pain often accompanied by bending.
To stand in a proper position, one must observe the following points:

• · Keep your shoulders back
• · Pull the abdomen toward the spine, with the muscles slightly engaged
• · Keep your head on the surface and in line with your body
• · Spread your legs shoulder-width apart
• · Avoid locking your knees
• · Keep the weight primarily on the balls of your feet
• · Let the arms hang naturally on either side

To practice a good sitting position, one should do the following:

• Keep your feet flat on the floor when sitting
• Adjust the height of the chair so that the thighs are parallel to the ground with the feet on the floor.
• Avoid crossing your legs
• Support the back with a pillow or small towel
• Let the shoulders rest comfortably

Maintaining proper posture helps keep adequate space between the vertebrae and may make a person look taller.

Strengthen the core muscles of the body

Strong central muscles can help a person maintain a good posture and look taller. The central muscles are in the abdomen and along the spine.

These muscles help support the spine. The spine is not adequately supported when these muscles are weak and may contract. It can also lead to curvature.

To have stronger central muscles, one can try the following exercises:

Plank: Keep the abdominal muscles in this position.

Superman: Lie on your stomach, take your arms, legs and head off the ground and hold.

Abdominal crunch: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, raising your head and shoulders using the central muscles.

Ways to prevent height reduction

While adults can do little to increase their height, they can take steps to prevent age-related decline in height.
People over 40 may lose half an inch in height every decade due to osteoporosis, spinal compression, and other reasons. This can lead to a significant reduction in height over time.

People can do the following to combat shortening and prevent age-related decline in height:

• Proper nutrition including getting enough calcium
• Do weight-bearing exercises regularly to combat muscle loss
• Stay properly hydrated (drink enough water)
• Avoid smoking
• Get enough rest

Closing remarks: Can adults grow taller?

The only scientific and practical way for an adult to grow taller after the growth plates have closed is to use Limb lengthening surgery. Increasing height in adulthood through height-enhancing exercises or using height-enhancing drugs is impossible after the growth plates have closed.