Does Running Stunt Growth? We Answer All The Questions

Many people think that regular long-distance running, or running in general can stunt growth. This is because running is a high-impact exercise that places stress on our muscles, bones, and tendons. Because of this, many people think t can prevent our muscles and bones from growing as they should.

However, this can’t be more from the truth for the adult.

In this article, we discuss if running stunts growth in both adults and children. We also discuss what causes growth stunt and some exercises you stay away from at certain ages. You might even be surprised at your height difference after running a long distance, ultra event, or marathon.

What Causes Stunt Growth?

While many people think that high-impact exercise stunts growth, this is far from the truth for an adult.

The actual cause of stunt growth is a lack of adequate nutrition. This is caused by not eating enough or eating too many foods that lack nutrients. These are one of the biggest causes of growth delay in people.

Other things that cause stunt growth include recurrent infections or chronic diseases that prevent the body from absorbing nutrients from the foods they eat.

Some other causes of stunt growth include puberty.
When growth plates mature and at the end of puberty, they fuse and stop growing.

However, the whole skeleton doesn’t stop growing at the same time. The hands and feet are usually the first to stop and the last being the spine.

 

Does Running Stunt Growth?

In general, running does not stunt growth in teenagers and adults. This is because your height is already genetically determined, and you probably have already achieved your height before you start High school.

However, you may find after a marathon or long-distance running event you may be actually shorter. This is caused by tight muscles, a compressed spine, and other factors. However, this is temporary, and you should find yourself extending back to the same height in a short amount of time.

Many studies have found that there is no set age for children to start running, and many of these studies have shown that running does not prevent the body from growing.

However, it is important to understand, that if you get your child into running when they are 7, 10, or 11, it needs to be on their own accord, and parents shouldn’t push their children to start running. Otherwise, you may find too much running can cause injuries later in life, especially in the joints and knees.

Does Running Make You Shorter Or Taller?

Unfortunately, it is a myth that running can make you taller. Whether you run or not, your skeleton has already reached its full height as an adult, so you can’t make your bones any longer. In actual fact, it is more likely to make you shorter, but only for a brief period of time.

After a marathon or long-distance event, the average running will be around 1cm shorter than when they started. This is actually caused by the vertebrae compressing over the length of the event. These researchers also found that this centimeter of lost height is actually restored within 24 hours and is not permanent.

In general, the long-distance runner may lose a centimeter from their height over long-distance events. However, this is temporary and shouldn’t be a cause for concern.

 

What Workouts Stunt Your Growth?

A short answer is that any activity that poses any damage to your growth plates can stunt your growth when you are young. This is because growth plates are relatively soft, and they are more susceptible to breaks and damage.

Because of this, some sports like football, rugby, and soccer are all more dangerous than weight lifting or running.

 

Is Long Distance Running Healthy for Body Growth?

Recent studies have suggested that high-intensity running or short runs help build muscle. However, these studies found that long-distance running can cause significant muscle damage and inhibit muscle growth in your body.

It is important to understand that duration and intensity play a major factor in this.

With that being said, long-distance running isn’t always good for our bodies, even though there are many health benefits related to long-distance running. It all comes down to the amount you run, the surface you run on, and how well you recover between training sessions.