Hi, I’m ENTER YOUR AGE years old. Am I Still Growing? Can I Still Grow Taller?

height-measurement-doctor-11072202Note: This post will be linked to one of the questions asked and answered in the FAQ section. Its intention is to cut down on the number of commonly asked questions that I receive to the website email and streamline the operations of the website/blog.

In the last week there has been a noticeable increase in emails the website email has been getting with a common themed question that runs along this message…

“Hi, I’m ENTER YOUR AGE years old. Am I Still Growing? Can I Still Grow Taller?”

It would be smart if I wrote a post write now to explain in as much detail as I can to finally answer this question in entirety and resolve it for the questioner. If you ask another followup question and explain further on your own unique individual situation, I probably can’t help you. I am NOT a medical professsional, nutritionist, personal trainer, or whatever else can give these types of advice.

I am a height and height increase analyst, researcher, inventor, and maybe also consultant when I finally get the knowledge down, which would take 4-5 years of continued study and research. Guessing is not a scientific way of making predictions and on average, I am wrong more time than I am right. Every time I’ve bet on something, I’m always the one who losses his money.

So this is my answer to this very general question…

Answer: In previous posts I have  shown that whether a person is still growing naturally depends on their sex, ethnicity, age, lifestyle, and even mental health. If we hold all the other factors constant and just look at the factor of age as a variable I would say that for 95-99% of all people in a population, the age that they stop growing is 15-17 years old for girls, and 17-19 years old for guys. To arrive at these two age ranges, I take the resource from Duke Health , MedHelp, and United States Tennis Association.

  • From Duke Health – “On average, females are done growing around age 12 to 14, and boys around age 14 to 16.
  • From MedHelp – “”
  • Femur: The 3 epiphyses/growth plates at upper end fuse at 18 years , The 1 epiphysis/growth plate at lower end fuse at 20 years 
  • Tibia: Upper end fuses at 16-18 years , Lower end fuses at 15-17 years 
  • Humerus: Upper end during 20th year , Lower end at about 16 years 
  • Radius: Upper end during 18th year , Lower end at 20 years
  • From USTA – “For example, the growth plates in the elbow area close at approximately ages 12 to 14 in girls, but not until ages 15 to 16 in boys.

From all these different values, it can be really hard to pinpoint what exactly is the age range. The reason why the Duke Health has the lowest age range is that the doctors are trying to be accurate as possible.

Remember: In general doctors always choose to error on the side of giving below average prognosis and chances. If they say that a patient is healthy and they turn out to be wrong, they can suffer from lawsuits. If instead they give below average prognosis and news, if they make a mistake and the patients do better than their pronosis, they will not be sued. This type of doctor protocol in giving non-positive prognosis is to make themself safe from erroring on the wrong side.

Overall, there are hundreds of Medical websites and resources on the internet and most of them would say it is probably around the 13-15 years range for girls, and 15-17 age range for boys where the growth plates in the long bones close.

Key Point: However, We must also remember that the age of final and complete epiphyseal cartilage ossification in the vertebrate is actually on average 2 years further than in the long bones of the limbs. (I currently can’t find the source for this fact but it is backed up by Scientific Literature).

This means that the usual way of determining whether one’s growth plates are closed from where the endocrinologist or orthopedic doctor looks at just 1 X-ray picture of the left hand  is very inaccurate. Currently, there is two main ways to measure for bone maturity through studying growth plates, the Tanner-Whitehouse (TW) and Greulich-Pyle (GP) methods. Overall the Greulich Pyle method which just using an eyeballing guess is not as accurate as the numerical method of Tanner Whitehouse.

At this point, I don’t know which method the doctors looking at your growth plates will use, if they use it at all. I would assume that any good doctor which is willing to take their time with their patient will be more accurate but the busy schedule of doctors might cause them to just eyeball your X-rays and using their years of practice and expertise give a rounding value. I wrote in a previous post entitled “Your Growth Plate X-Rays Don’t Tell The Entire Story, Why Your Doctor Can Be Wrong And You Might Still Be Growing 🙂” which showed that these doctors are often wrong.

So if you are an adolescent or going through puberty, you can still grow if you are AT or BELOW these age ranges.

  • Girls: 15-17
  • Boys: 17-19

Things to Note: It seems from my personal observation that guys have a bell curve distribution function that has long tails (using statistic jargon here). This means that the age range is less accurate in getting the right numbers for men and many do fall out of the age range. Some men keep growing until 22-23 even. For women, there are instances where pregnancy caused the onset of additional height increase in females, but those cases are outliers.

Advice: You need an X-Ray of your growth plates to be accurate. This x-ray will be analyzed by a specialist, an endocrinologist or orthopedics (still not sure which one yet). This means that FIRST you will need to see your family or personal doctor. After consulting with them, tell them you wanted to know your ability to continue to grow and ask them to write you a recommendation to see a specialist who can read the X-rays. They will provide the recommendation. Once you meet the specialist tell them specifically to get at least 3 rays. This will probably run around the cost of $600-800, $200 for the knee, $190 for the wrist, and $280 for the spine, $370 for the chest, using National X-Ray cost averages (source), not including the cost of seeing the family doctor and the specialist, but if you really are serious about knowing your growth rate and whether you can continue to grow, you will go through with it to be accurate.

  • One for the left hand to give them a reference point,
  • One for the knee to check the distal femoral physis and the proximal tibial physis.
  • One for the cervical region of the vertebrate. This is to look at the growth plates there which will fuse AFTER the growth plates in the long bones are mostly gone.

Sure, there are other growth plates and cartilage in other places which we haven’t considered to give the best answer, but with these three X-rays used as set points, the medical specialists would be able to answer your original question “Am I Still Growing? Can I Still Grow Taller?” far more easily and accurately. I hope this post was good enough to answer your original question. This is the best advice I can give at this point.

53 thoughts on “Hi, I’m ENTER YOUR AGE years old. Am I Still Growing? Can I Still Grow Taller?

  1. Nick

    Thank you for these posts. I feel that you are slowly building up this website’s credibility.
    Keep it up! 🙂

      1. Ally

        Probably not but it all depends. How tall are your siblings (if any) ,cousins, grandparents, or any other blood related relatives?

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  4. Robb

    Even after all of your growth plates close, you can still get leg lengthening surgery to get taller if your height really bothers you, but it is incredibly painful so I would not risk it.

  5. Robs

    hey im 5ft 7 and a half inch guy. im still 14 but will be 15 in 2 months time. right now im in summer break. do you think ill grow? my parents is 5 ft and dad is 5ft 9 and half i think. although my gene doesnt support my dream to 6 ft, environment can also effect it right? idk how tall i will be but i would like to be atleast 5 11. btw im an asian guy but my family is know for tall guys (dad, grandad etc.)

  6. Nick

    Ill be 18 in a week. I’m about 181 cm. My parents are 186 cm and 172 cm. Went from 173 cm to 181 cm this past summer. Any chance ill grow more. My mom is side is really short im taller than all of them. My dads side are all taller than me. My dad was 183 cm at 18 so he grew 3 cm and said he grew a lot after 18. I also barely have any armpit hair and can only grow whiskers on my face. Everyone in my family can grow thick full mustaches and beards on both sides.
    What are my chances of getting to my ideal height of 188 cm. I would also be really happy at least 185 cm.

    1. EDGES

      hi do not worry nick youre legs can be made longer naturally by cycling a stationery bike. to do this properly cycle on it 20 miles a day and for height increase make your seat higher by a centimetre each month

    2. Hana

      Hey there! Genetics aren’t everything. Its the combination of genetics that matter.

      I’m a girl who just turned 15 and I’m 175 cm tall. My mother is moderate height in her family of quite tall people (she’s 167 cm) and my biological father is from a really short family (he was about 168 cm from memory).

      Because you’re a guy, usually your father’s side is dominant for you. If you’re paternal side is tall, I reckon the chances of you reaching 185 is pretty high.

  7. Beth

    I’m a fourteen year old girl at the height of 5′ 10.5″. I’ve already passed my mom and 18 year old sister but my dad is 6′. Am I done growing??

  8. Love

    Hi, I’m a 16 yrs old girl, I’m 4 ft and 8.5 inches. Help, I’m practically a dwarf at my age. I haven’t even “outgrow” my folks. My mom is 4″11 and my dad is a 5″2. Also I’m asian. Is there a chance I can grow a foot taller?

  9. greg

    HI i’m a 28 male and for some reason i’ve gained like 2 almost 3 inches, i went from 5’7 to almso 5’10 in the past year how is this possible?

      1. Carter

        John you probably won’t read this but I’m still going to try. I’m 5.7 and a half right now. I’m 13 years old and my ethnicity is white. My dads 6,1- 6,2 moms 5,6 do you think I can grow to be 6,2?

    1. Michael Roy

      If you are a male, add 5 inches to your mom’s height. And find the median of that height and your dad’s.

      If I am correct, you can be exactly 6 foot.

  10. Carol

    HELLO I’M 17 I’M A GIRL 155 cm, MY DAD IS 5’9 and my mom is 5’4. My father side are all tall like men are 5’6 above and women are 5’4above. My mother side are like bit shorter but my grandpas are both tall and grandmas are a bit short.Am I still growing?

  11. Michael Roy

    Hi. I am 17 years old and 5′ 9″. I am currently trying to lose some weight in my stomach as I am 195 lbs which is just a bit over the average. However, I find losing weight is hard to do with a good balanced diet because I always feel hungry even after a good hearty meal. I was wondering if my non-stop appetite is my body begging for nutrients and if maybe this appetite is due to me growing again.

    P.S. My mom is 5′ 7″ and my dad is about 5′ 7″ as well.

    1. Farhaan

      Hi I’m Farhaan 16 years and 9 months old I’ll be turning 17.0 on Saturday, January 3rd 2017, I’m 5′ 10″, (177.80 cm) andecent am 5′ 11″, (180.34 cm) in my shoes but I wear men’s 1″ inch height gain insoles only I’m 2″ inches taller being 6′ 0″, (182.88 cm) in my shoes or I cheat to gain those 2″ inches as I’m short 5′ 10″ is not tall as there’s male kids in grade 6, 7 and 8 elementary school who are 6′ 3″, (190.50 cm), 6′ 4″, (193.04 cm) and a lot who are 6′ 5″, (195.58 cm) so I hate my height. I was 5′ 10″, (177.80 cm) since I was 14.11 years old for 2.10 years long. I weigh 217 pounds (98.43 kg) at 25% body fat so I’m very overweight and on the border line of obesity which obese is 221 pounds. I have griwn out 2 almost full beards bit shaved them abd keep a thovk gotee and am very hairy. I’m mixed so I’m Pakistani and Afghani from my mom’s side and Scottish and Canadian from my dad’s side. My dream height is to be 6′ 6″, (198.12 cm) but it will never happen as it’s impossibe, so my goal realistically is to be 6′ 1″, (185.42 cm) so do you guys know if I can grow taller and grow above 6 feet? My dad is 5′ 6″ 1/2, (168.91 cm) so I’m 3″ 1/2 inches taller then my dad and my mom is 5′ 5″ 1/4, (165.72 cm) so I’m 4″ 3/4 taller then my mom I also have 1 brother he’s 18.5 yeats old at 5′ 8″, (172.72 cm) so I’m 2″ inches taller then my brother bit he was 5′ 8″ since he was 14 yeats old for 5.5 full years and gas slight spinew curvacher by having slight scoliosis but I have nothing except for my weight problem but my goal is to be 175 to 180 pounds at 19% or 20% body fat. An online doctor told me that me being a male I can gain 10% of height from my dad’s height (168.91 cm) so 168.91 cm) + 10% Height gain for myself = (185.80 cm) which is 6′ 1″.15 then if I did my mom’s height 165.72 cm) + 10% Height gain for myself = (182.29 cm) which is 5′ 11″.77 which is close to 6′ 0″, (182.88 cm) but I would use the calculator for my dad’s height so do you guys know if I’m full grown? My fanily doctor told me I will stop growing at age 19 or 20. Email me farhaanblair@gmail.com

      1. Farhaan

        Hi I’m Farhaan 16 years and 9 months old I’ll be turning 17.0 on Saturday, January 23rd, 2017, I’m 5′ 10″, (177.80 cm) and am 5′ 11″, (180.34 cm) in my shoes but I wear men’s 1″ inch height gain insoles so I’m 2″ inches taller being 6′ 0″, (182.88 cm) in my shoes so I cheat to gain those 2″ inches as I’m short. 5′ 10″ is not tall at all as there’s male kids in grade 6, 7 and 8 elementary school who are 6′ 3″, (190.50 cm), 6′ 4″, (193.04 cm) and a lot who are 6′ 5″, (195.58 cm) also girls in grade 7 and 8 who are 5′ 10″ which is my current height lol, so I hate my height. I was 5′ 10″, (177.80 cm) since I was 14.11 years old for 2.10 years long. I weigh 217 pounds (98.43 kg) at 25% body fat so I’m very overweight and on the border line of obesity which obese is 221 pounds. I grew out 2 almost full beards but shaved them and I keep a thick gotee instead and am very hairy. I’m mixed so I’m Pakistani and Afghani from my mom’s side and Scottish and Canadian from my dad’s side. My dream height is to be 6′ 6″, (198.12 cm) but it will never happen as it’s impossibe, so my goal realistically is to be 6′ 1″, (185.42 cm) so do you guys know if I can grow taller and grow above 6 feet? My dad is 5′ 6″ 1/2, (168.91 cm) so I’m 3″ 1/2 inches taller then my dad and my mom is 5′ 5″ 1/4, (165.72 cm) so I’m 4″ 3/4 taller then my mom I also have 1 brother he’s 18.5 yeats old at 5′ 8″, (172.72 cm) so I’m 2″ inches taller then my brother but he was 5′ 8″ since he was 14 years old for 5.5 full years and has slight scoliosis but I have nothing except for my weight problem but my goal is to be 175 to 180 pounds at 18%, 19% or 20% body fat and my neck is 17 and my waist is 35, my feet are both 11″ inches and my hands are both 7″ 1/4 long. An online doctor told me that me being a male I can gain 10% of height from my dad’s height (168.91 cm) so 168.91 cm) + 10% Height gain for myself = (185.80 cm) which is 6′ 1″.15, so do you guys know if I’m full grown? My family doctor told me I’m not full grown but being given overweight and heavy can slow my growth rate becayse my fat is covering my growth hormones with fat and said I will stop growing at age possibly age 18, but can stop at19 or 20. I’m healthy overall because I was born healthy but born big being 9 pounds and 3 ounces at 1′ 11″, (23″ inches) long, I eat all foods from the 5 food groups and am allergic to nothing, so I eat all fruits and vegetables, a lot of protein, healthy home cooked meals, I avoid fact food and fried foods, I eat junk food once in a blue moon, I eat a lot of cheese, drink lots of milk, lots of juice but some water and eat my 3 meals per day but I some times over eat lol. (Email me farhaanblair@gmail.com)

        1. medhat mohamed

          your height will increase until 21. my height when i was 17 was 170 cm but now i am 22 and i reached 184.5 last year. so you have the chance to increase your height until 21. but you must eat healthy food and sleep well and do exercise for one hour a day. i recommend you to go to the club and do sprints and run in the track for an hour a day. this type of sport increase my height so much.i recommend you to make this exercise and to be patient and you will see the result in 2 months time.

  12. Emily Fish

    Hello, Im a female, im 5″5, and I just turned 17 this month. My mom is 5″8 and my dad is 6″1. I hope ill grow at least one more inch. My older sister is 19 and she’s only 5″5 too though. I hope im just a late bloomer kind of, because I have a calcium deficiency and maybe that could be prolonging me getting to my maximum height.

  13. Annie

    Hi i’m 5’5 and i want to be 5’8or5’7.5 but i can’t grow it’s impossible, i’m a girl. I just turned 15 like months ago on september, is there any chances that i can grow up? Like I want to be a model so badly!

  14. Julie

    Hi I’m 16 and 5’2″. My mom is 5’2″ my dad is 5’4″ and I’m trying to grow at least 5’9″ or 5’10”. I feel that I’m growing pretty slow, my body functions weird (uh…I don’t know what’s that suppose to mean xD) but I want to grow taller! i dun like being short D: *derp*

  15. Blessy Leano

    Hello I’m 13 years old and 4’9 is there any chance I will grow 5’5 or 5’3? My mom is 4’11 and my dad is taller.. please I need answer ASAP!!!

  16. Keith

    HI I am 17 my birthday was almost 5 months ago I’m 5’10 1/4″ my mom is 5’3″ and my dad is 6’0″ will I grow to be 5’11” or 6’0″

  17. Charles Orellana

    Hey, I am 13 years old and I am 5’5. My dad is 5’4 or 5’4 1/2 -ish. I cannot really tell. My mother is 5’1 and I am taller than most of my family except some relatives. Some people from my dad’s side are tall around 6ft. Will I still grow even though I’m 5’5?

  18. Akuma Tenshi

    Hi~ I’m 16 years old, female, 5’2 (I know, I know, I’m short QnQ) and I have long (or big) feet. Is it true that I will still grow taller? And they say that people who have long or big feet would be a tall person in the future, is it true?.

  19. Katie

    I’m a female and 5”4-5”5 everyone tells me I’m shorter than that, but I’m pretty sure I’m like 5”5 I’m 15 and at 14 is when I grew three inches I haven’t grown since then my mom is 5”6 and my dad is about 5”7-8 idk, my 13yr old brother is taller than me and my 8 yr old sister is like 4”8-9 she’s really tall for her age and alot of people in my family are tall except for my grandma’s side I have great uncles that are 6”5 and but my brother and sister are tall so why aren’t I?

  20. Alysha

    Hi Im 14 (turning 15 in almost 2 months) my mum is 167 (5’6) and my dad is 169 (5’8 approx) and im currently 163 (5’4) My dream height is 170cm. Do I have the potential to still grow?? PLZZZZ HELP MEHH!

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  22. Weston Watson

    Hi I’m 13 almost 14 in 2 months and 5 8. my mom is about 5 11 and my dad is almost 6 3 I haven’t noticed any growth for a while am I done or am I still gonna grow my plan is 6 foot.

  23. EDGES

    hi im 13 and 5,5 will i grow to 6ft. my dad is 5,4 and so is my mum but most people from each of my hamilies height are at least 5,8 even the girls. plus im asian

  24. Leila

    Hi I’m 150 cm and 15 years old. My mum is 149cm and my dad is 166cm. I want to be at least between 160 – 165cm maybe. I don’t want to be taller than my dad. Just an average height and I’ll be happy. I do exercise and eat healthy and I’ve also been drinking milk. Am I still growing??

  25. anna

    hi im 15 years old, 4’10, 95 lbs. Mom is 5’5, dad 5’7, older sis 5’4, shortest female on both sides of my family is 5’2. Didn’t start my period till i was 13, wondering if im going to grow?!?!?!

  26. Mackenzie Smith

    Hi I’m 13 (turned 13 3 months ago) and 5.3 my mom is 5.2 and my dad is 6.0… How tall should I be?? Most doctors say around 5.6-5.9 but I have a hard time believing that.

  27. John

    Hello,im 14 years old and is 164cm tall,which is 5feet 2 and my dad is the same height as i am,my mom is 4feet 11…i still dont have armpit hair and my moustache sucks can i still grow taller?

  28. Therese

    Im 16 yrs old????? and my height is 4’8 im so small and i want to grow taller my mom is small and dad is tall do i have still chances to grow taller?? Pls hellppp pls give me some tips that are effective

  29. daniel

    Hey I’m 15 and im 5ft 6 but I haven’t grown since when I was 13 I’ve been playing 3 different sports this year and I’m still playing but aint growing help meee

  30. Annonymous User :)

    I am 15 years old and 165cm/5,4.1 my mum is 173 5,6.7 same with my dad but my mum only got tall from her grandparents which are not really blood related that much, my grandparents were were short about 163cm 5,4 and 150cm/55,2 and the guys were 170cm/ 5,5.7, do you think i’ll stay?? I had my period i 2014 March and I really don’t want to grow more !

  31. Eric Sander

    I am a 14 year old male around 5’1 my Mom is 5’0 and My Dad is 6’0 will I still grow to around 5’6 or 5’7?

  32. Mariana

    i’m a girl 16 and im 5’6 , turning 17 next month will i still grow to reach 5foot 7 ?
    Oh and my Mum is 5’2 and my Dad is 6’4

  33. Annoynmous

    Hello I am a girl 16 years old 5’6, my mum is 5’2 and my dad is 6’4 , im turning 17 next month is it still possible for me to grow and reach 5’7 or 5’8 ??

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