What determines human height? About 70-80% of a person's height is determined by genetics, with the remaining 20-30% influenced by environmental factors during growth.
Most research results indicate that exercise does not significantly affect increasing height. Exercise itself also does not make people shorter.
Human height depends on the development of the skeleton, more specifically, the development of long bones. At the ends of long bones are growth plates.
The cartilage cells within the growth plates proliferate continuously under the influence of growth hormones and gradually ossify, thereby lengthening the bones. This process repeats, with long bones becoming longer and height increasing until the growth plates close and the bones stop growing, essentially determining a person's height.
Seeing that basketball players are tall, does playing basketball make people taller? It's not the case! In reality, tall people have a clear advantage when playing basketball, so coaches prefer selecting taller individuals for the team. Also, the height advantage makes taller individuals more inclined to play basketball. This ultimately creates the misconception that playing basketball helps increase height.
Basketball involves much running and jumping, which can enhance metabolism and contribute to bone development, assisting adolescents in growing taller. However, simply playing basketball does not significantly increase height.
Does practicing gymnastics or weightlifting make people shorter? Some believe that practicing gymnastics or weightlifting stunts height growth. Is this the case?
Artistic gymnastics requires athletes to be agile and nimble, with a more petite physique making it easier to perform complex flipping maneuvers. Coaches tend to select children with shorter stature and slender build for training.
Gymnasts need to control their weight from a young age and have strict dietary control. In this situation, inadequate nutrition to meet both the demands of sports and growth may lead to delayed physical development.
They undergo high-intensity training from a young age, and premature, excessive training may affect bone development, ultimately impacting height.
Many also believe that weightlifting athletes are not tall because weightlifting suppresses their height. This claim lacks scientific basis. A survey showed that 85% of weightlifting athletes in China are among the tallest in their families.
Weightlifting requires overcoming gravity to lift objects overhead and maintain balance. Shorter individuals expend less energy to lift heavy objects vertically, and individuals with shorter stature and bulkier physiques have a lower center of gravity, providing better stability when lifting weights.
Playing soccer and synchronized swimming is also safe. Soccer players require speed and agility, and shorter legs are better for controlling the ball, so soccer players generally have lower heights than basketball players. Playing soccer does not cause short legs.
Similarly, synchronized swimming does not lead to body deformation. Only uneven weight bearing (such as carrying a backpack on one shoulder), excessive weight bearing, or poor posture may lead to spinal deformities (such as scoliosis or kyphosis).
In addition to exercise, there are several other postnatal factors to consider for height increase, so experts recommend:
1. Nutritious diet: Adolescents should pay attention to balanced diets, including moderate consumption of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and soy products.
2. Adequate sleep: Between 10 pm and 1 am, the body secretes the most growth hormone during deep sleep. Missing this hormone secretion period cannot be compensated.
3. Psychological adjustment: Excessive academic pressure and mental burden can lead to endocrine disorders, disrupting the normal secretion of growth hormones and affecting bone growth and development.
In conclusion, while genetics primarily determine human height, environmental factors like nutrition, sleep, and psychological well-being also play crucial roles. Exercise, including sports like basketball, gymnastics, and weightlifting, can contribute to overall health but does not significantly impact height increase. It's essential to maintain a balanced lifestyle for optimal growth and development.
