When Do Growth Plates Close? Growth plates usually close near the end of puberty. For girls, this usually is when they're 13–15; for boys, it's when they're 15–17.
As a child grows, the shafts get longer, and bone gradually replaces the cartilage epiphyses. Through the growing years, a layer of cartilage (the growth plate) separates each epiphyses from the bone shaft. Between 17 and 25 years, normal growth stops. The development and union of separate bone parts is complete.
Although most adults won't grow taller after age 18 to 20, there are exceptions to this rule. First, the closure of the growth plates may be delayed in some individuals (36, 37). If the growth plates remain open past age 18 to 20, which is uncommon, height could continue to increase.
On an x-ray, growth plates look like dark lines at the ends of the bones. At the end of growth, when the cartilage completely hardens into bone, the dark line will no longer be visible on an x-ray. At that point growth plates are considered closed.
Growth plates are layers of cartilage found near either end of long bones of children and adolescents. They're the part of the bone that grows longer. Once a bone is fused, it can't continue to grow longer.
Changes in Boys
They tend to grow most quickly between ages 12 and 15. The growth spurt of boys is, on average, about 2 years later than that of girls. By age 16, most boys have stopped growing, but their muscles will continue to develop.
As mentioned in one of the articles one good way to see if you still have growth potential is to X-ray a wrist- the test is called a Pediatric Bone Age. It will show if your growth plates are still open. A doctor can also request lab tests- checking for hormones- such as thyroid, growth hormone and sex hormones.
Estrogen and testosterone release at puberty initiates closure of the epiphyseal plates. When bone growth is complete, the epiphyseal cartilage is replaced with bone, which joins it to the diaphysis. Fractures of the epiphyseal plates in children can lead to slow bone growth or limb shortening.
Children's bones have areas of new bone growth called growth plates at both ends. They add length and width to the bone. They can be seen on an X-ray because they're softer and contain less mineral, making them appear darker on an X-ray image than the rest of the bone. Bones and growth plates change over time.
The usual progression of fusion of growth plates is elbow first, then foot and ankle, then hand and wrist, then knee, then hip and pelvis, and last the shoulder and clavicle.
Increasing your height after 18 is not possible, even through nutrition and exercise, because the growth plates stop growing. The growth plates (epiphyseal plates) are present at the end of long bones.
The only permanent way to increase height after puberty is limb lengthening. Limb lengthening is a surgical procedure to lengthen the leg or arm bones.
An adult cannot increase their height after the growth plates close. However, there are plenty of ways a person can improve their posture to look taller. A person can also take preventive measures against height loss as they age.
When Do Growth Plates Close? Growth plates usually close near the end of puberty. For girls, this usually is when they're 13–15; for boys, it's when they're 15–17.
The last bone to complete its growth in humans is the clavicle, which is also known as the collar bone.
After the growth spurt associated with puberty, the production of the aforementioned hormones reduces, and the growth plates of long bones fuse. This typically occurs around the age of 16 for women and somewhere between 14 and 19 for men. So in theory, after those ages, you cannot grow taller.
The Khamis-Roche method is considered to be one of the more accurate height prediction methods that do not require the measurement of bone age. It is based on the child's stature, weight, and the average stature of the two parents.
However, several formulas can provide a reasonable guess for child growth. Here's a popular example: Add the mother's height to the father's height in either inches or centimeters. Add 5 inches (13 centimeters) for boys or subtract 5 inches (13 centimeters) for girls.
Height that is less than the 3rd percentile or greater than the 97th percentile is deemed short or tall stature, respectively. A growth velocity outside the 25th to 75th percentile range may be considered abnormal. Serial height measurements over time documented on a growth chart are key in identifying abnormal growth.
You may have heard rumors that weight training can stunt growth. The concern is that weight training can injure the areas of the bone that grow (the growth plates) and limit stature. There is no evidence that high-impact sports like gymnastics, soccer, football, and basketball harm growth plates.
Growth plates are areas of cartilage at the ends of bones that are key to a child's ability to grow. Once a growth plate hardens into solid bone it closes forever – meaning the child's growth is complete. Typically, that happens around age 14 for girls and age 16 for boys, although it can vary widely.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , the average age-adjusted height for American men 20 years old and up is 69.1 inches (175.4 centimeters) during the years 2015 to 2016. That's about 5 feet 9 inches tall. This number comes from data published in December 2018.
Summary of Results
In most cases, Boys height measurements for this age group (16 years old) will lie within the range between 158.84 and 187.09 cms. The average height measurement for this age group Boys is 173.61 cms, according to the CDC.