Effective Exercises to Increase Height

For many of us, engaging in sports is not just about health and staying fit but also about the hope of increasing our height. However, there are many misconceptions regarding the relationship between height increase and sports. In this article, we have compiled exercises that can aid in height increase, as well as the timing of when these exercises are truly effective and when they no longer contribute to height growth.

Before we dive into the exercises, it's important to note that exercises performed after puberty or those undertaken for only a short period do not aid in height growth. This is one of the most common misconceptions related to sports. While exercises aimed at stretching the body can contribute to height growth, they show maximum effectiveness only if performed regularly and over a long duration before puberty. You can find more detailed information on this subject in the continuation of our article.

How Should Height Increasing Exercises Be Done?

An individual's height continues to actively grow until the end of puberty. This is due to the growth plates in our body, which facilitate height increase, remaining active until the end of puberty. Nutrition plans and height-increasing exercises implemented during this period may not produce miraculous results but can be effective. Additionally, these exercises have many positive effects on spinal health and overall health status.

However, with the end of puberty, the growth plates close, and biologically, height growth stops. This indicates that any method applied thereafter will not contribute to height increase. In short, if you are researching exercises to help increase height, you need to be in your puberty phase to see any effect. For individuals who have not yet completed puberty, it's important to know the following about height-increasing exercises:

Height-increasing exercises are primarily aimed at stretching the body and ensuring spinal alignment. Here are some basic height-increasing exercises and how to perform them:

Flexibility Exercises: 

• Stretching the body by extending the arms and legs, especially in the mornings or evenings, can be beneficial. 

• Sitting on the floor with legs extended and bending towards the toes to stretch the back and leg muscles can be helpful.

Yoga and Pilates Exercises: 

• Yoga and Pilates are excellent exercises for stretching and balancing the body. They can contribute to height increase if done regularly over a long period.

Swimming: 

• Swimming works all the body muscles and supports the spine. Regular swimming can encourage height growth.

Running and Walking:

• Regular light running or walking strengthens the spine and leg muscles and can increase flexibility.

Proper Posture Exercises:

• Maintaining a correct posture ensures proper spinal alignment and can make the height appear longer. Performing exercises that promote good posture can aid in height growth.

How Much Can Height Increase with Exercise?

The impact of sports and physical activities on height growth is more effective during periods when growth plates are active. Growth plates are areas found at the ends of bones that facilitate rapid growth during childhood and adolescence. These plates typically close towards the end of puberty, marking the period when sports can potentially contribute the most to height increase.

However, it should also be remembered that the primary factor determining an individual's average height is genetics. Research indicates that approximately 60-80% of height is determined by genetic factors. This means that the heights of parents and close relatives can be used to predict the height of their children. However, genetics only sets the potential; the actual height achieved is also dependent on a range of other factors, including environmental influences and lifestyle choices.

For girls: 

• Pre-Puberty and Onset of Puberty (Approximately 8-13 years old): Rapid height growth occurs during this period. Physical activities can help increase growth hormones, and sports activities conducted during this time can maximize height growth. 

• Puberty (Approximately 13-19 years old): In most girls, growth plates begin to close by the age of 19. Engaging in sports during this age range can help make the best use of the existing growth potential, but sports do not affect height growth once the plates have closed. The mentioned age range of 13-19 years can vary from person to person, with some individuals' puberty potentially extending up to 21 years old.

For boys: 

• Pre-Puberty and Onset of Puberty (Approximately 10-15 years old): In boys, height growth generally starts a bit later, and sports during this period can support height growth. 

• Puberty (Approximately 15-20 years old): In boys, growth plates usually remain open until around 20-21 years of age. Therefore, the contribution of physical activities to height growth in boys is possible up to this age. 

Overall, the period during which sports and physical activities have the most significant impact on height growth is during childhood and adolescence. However, after the growth plates have closed, it's important to focus on the other positive effects of sports on health, rather than height growth. These benefits include increased bone density, improved muscle strength, and flexibility. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and regular physical activity is important throughout life.

Height Increase after Puberty

After puberty, it is biologically impossible for your height to increase. The main reason for this, as mentioned above, is the closure of the growth plates. No supplement, medication, or food you consume will contribute to increasing your height. The only thing sports can do is help you achieve a straighter posture of the spine, which may make you appear 1-2 cm taller, but none of these directly contribute to an increase in your height.

There is only one possible way to increase height after puberty; limb lengthening surgery. However, limb lengthening surgery is a serious surgical operation and before someone can undergo this surgery, they should successfully complete several health checks. . This involves evaluating the person's overall health condition, blood tests, bone health, muscle density, X-ray images, and age, among other criteria. If you want to get more detailed information about limb lengthening surgery, you can follow our YouTube page or contact our patient representatives directly.