Yes, You Are Getting Shorter
Height Loss May Signal Health Risks, Especially for Men; Some Exercises Help
By MELINDA BECK
WSJ
You're not just getting older. You're probably getting shorter, too.
Why are you shrinking? Starting in their late 30s, it's normal for men and women to lose about a half-inch in height every 10 years. Melinda Beck on Lunch Break looks at what point does it get worrisome and what can be done to help.
Height loss is a natural part of aging—some people start shrinking slightly as early as 30. Losing too much height too rapidly, however, can signal a high risk for hip fractures, spinal fractures and even heart disease, particularly in men, several recent studies have found.
"If you are a female, between the ages of 45 and 65, and you notice you are shrinking, that's pretty usual," says Marian Hannan, an epidemiologist at Hebrew Senior Life, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. "If you're a man, it may be a warning sign to speak to your health-care provider."
It's not uncommon to shrink by a quarter to a third of an inch every decade after age 40. Think of a house settling on its foundation. Disks—the gel-like pads between vertebrae—lose fluid over the years and flatten. Muscles lose mass and weaken, especially in the abdomen, which can exacerbate poor posture. Even the arches of the foot flatten out slightly, reducing height by a few millimeters more.
(More here.)
By MELINDA BECK
WSJ
You're not just getting older. You're probably getting shorter, too.
Why are you shrinking? Starting in their late 30s, it's normal for men and women to lose about a half-inch in height every 10 years. Melinda Beck on Lunch Break looks at what point does it get worrisome and what can be done to help.
Height loss is a natural part of aging—some people start shrinking slightly as early as 30. Losing too much height too rapidly, however, can signal a high risk for hip fractures, spinal fractures and even heart disease, particularly in men, several recent studies have found.
"If you are a female, between the ages of 45 and 65, and you notice you are shrinking, that's pretty usual," says Marian Hannan, an epidemiologist at Hebrew Senior Life, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School. "If you're a man, it may be a warning sign to speak to your health-care provider."
It's not uncommon to shrink by a quarter to a third of an inch every decade after age 40. Think of a house settling on its foundation. Disks—the gel-like pads between vertebrae—lose fluid over the years and flatten. Muscles lose mass and weaken, especially in the abdomen, which can exacerbate poor posture. Even the arches of the foot flatten out slightly, reducing height by a few millimeters more.
(More here.)
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