Lengthening
A range of factors affect people's overall growth; genetics affects 60-80%, while environmental factors such as nutrition effect 20-40%, and for most people, height increases by an average of (5 cm) each year approximately from the age of one year to puberty, and then height increases by an average of three increases in length are the growth of long bones until the age of eighteen when the growth plates are cartilaginous at the end of the bone - they are open, and hormonal changes near the end of puberty lead to hardening and closure of the growth plates, so bone growth stops at the age of about sixteen years in women and at the age of fourteen and nineteen in men.
Although true growth of long bones does not occur in most adults, some small daily differences in length may occur due to pressure on the discs in the spine, as daily activity affects the cartilage and fluid in the spine and causes a slight decrease in length at the end of the day, which can reach about (1.5 cm), so the pressure obtained from the discs in the spine is obtained and removed from the vertebrae, which can lead to slight changes in length during the day.
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| How can I elongate my body? |
Stretching exercises
There are no scientific studies and convincing evidence that confirm the claims of some people about exercises and techniques that promise to increase growth in adults, such as attachment, stretching, climbing, swimming, and can at best lead to temporary and small changes in growth, but exercise, in general, helps to strengthen muscles and bones, maintain a healthy weight and promote growth:
- Exercises to strengthen strength, such as push-ups and exercises to strengthen the abdominal muscles.
- Flexibility exercises, such as yoga, help to stand properly.
- Aerobic exercises such as jumping rope and cycling.
Note: exercise helps maintain overall health and reduces the risk of osteoporosis in adults.
Weight lifting and its effect on growth
Weight lifting can lead to slight pressure on the intervertebral discs in adults, and this pressure can also occur during normal daily activities, and since the growth plates in adulthood are closed and strong, the risk of damage to the growth plates is not a serious problem, but before puberty, the cartilage of the growth plate is weaker than the bones during these the main causes of injuries when lifting weights is lack of supervision or improper use of equipment.
How to look taller
You can follow several simple strategies that will help you look taller than you, including the following:
- Standing properly and not bending your back; because the correct standing and sitting position help the person to look taller and protect against headaches, back pain, and bulges; where you can stand properly by following some instructions:
- Pull your shoulders back.
- Pull your stomach to your spine.
- Place your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Wear shoes with heels.
- Lose weight and gain muscle mass to feel strong and confident.
Some people resort to more extreme solutions, such as leg bone lengthening or growth hormone therapy, which can help increase growth in children who are not growing properly; but its benefits are unlikely in adults, and if a person wants to be taller, it is better to accept his current height, focus on his strong and good qualities and understand that growth is not everything; happiness and success are not related to growth.
Proper nutrition and growth
A healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition in childhood and adolescence help to grow properly, children often eat enough food, but the quality of food has a low nutritional value due to the lack of nutrients important for bone and body growth, such as vitamin D and calcium, here are some points that help promote growth bones of children and adolescents before adolescence:
- Eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Eat enough protein needed for bone growth by eating at least 20 grams of protein in one meal. high protein sources include eggs, poultry, lean meats, dairy products, and legumes.
- stay away from sugar, trans fats, and saturated fats as much as possible.
- Stay away from smoking.
Adequate sleep and growth
Lack of sleep for a sufficient number of hours often and regularly in adolescence affects growth hormones; because the body secretes growth hormones during sleep, the following table shows a sufficient number of hours of sleep per day depending on age: