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I was shocked -- shocked, I tell you -- to learn that I was only 5'5"-ish when I had been almost 5'8" my whole life. (And I don't have osteoporosis....but I do have severely degenerated disks through my entire spine.) And as much as I hated being the tallest girl in the class as a kid, now I don't like being short(er).
I had herniated discs in my neck removed, and I am actually now 1/8" TALLER!!!!
So now I am TALLER than I was before the operation.
Thank you Dr!
I have a friend I met online. His profile said he was 6'8" tall. I though it was a mistake and he meant 5'8". NOPE. When we met in person...he WAS 6'8" tall... At the top of my head I come up to his...er..uh nipples{?}
One of my coworkers is 6'5" tall. He says he wishes he was shorter. His father is 6'5" also, and his younger brother is 6'4" tall....but he is 18 and still can grow!
Meanwhile I wish I was taller...like 5'10 would be nice. It's hard being on the short end of the stick...pun intended.
One thing that's important to remember is as you shrink in height, you need to lose weight. For every inch, that's 5 pounds for a woman and 6 pounds for a man.
How much do people shrink as they age?
Estimates vary, but on average people lose ¼ to ½ inch every decade after age 40 or 50, with losses increasing in later years, and women generally losing more than men. Research from the Baltimore Longi*tudinal Study of Aging, for example, found that women lost an average of 2 inches between the ages of 30 and 70 (and just over 3 inches by age 80). Men lost a little more than 1 inch by age 70 (and 2 inches by 80). But averages hide wide variability: Some people lose an inch or more in a single decade, some shrink only after age 60 or 70, and a few don’t shrink at all.
...... Can you do anything to prevent or reduce shrinkage?
It’s largely out of your control, since genetics plays a big role, as do things you did in the past—for instance, how much bone you built when you were young. But even in later years you may be able to slow shrinkage by taking steps that will help protect your bones and muscles—such as doing weight-bearing exercise; consuming adequate calcium, vitamin D, and other bone-healthy nutrients; not drinking alcohol to excess; and above all not smoking.
I am 65 years old and has lost about half an inch. At 5' 1 1/2", I am trying very hard to stop being more vertically challenged ;-)
I've gone from 5'10" to 5'8 and a half" An inch and a half at nearly seventy years. Another thing to miss! I liked being tallish.
My pants leg inseam was once 31" but now that would drag on the ground so I guess my legs are shortening too.
Fortunately, as a member of the feminine class, I can still add height with my shoes though I am seldom inclined to do so these days. There's always the risk of falling off.
I am very happy to say my BMI stays healthy (and to confess I wouldn't mind shifting the weight around a little bit.)
I just had my annual physical and everything was okay. DH says, "I don't understand with as little exercise as you get how you stay so healthy."
There is something to be said for the way you put clothing together that can mask changes in body appearance to a point.
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