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Does weight training stunt growth?

bust the myth On strength training

A question that I’m repeatedly asked – by parents, practitioners and coaches – is whether weight training stunts the physical growth of the body and whether it reduces stability.

The myth that strength training damages the growth plates of children, and results in stunting growth, is believed to stem from an old report which examined children in remote areas of Japan (Kato & Ishiko, 1964). This report observed that children, who performed heavy labour, were short in stature. From this, it was concluded that strength training could damage the composition of the epiphyseal junctures, or ‘growth plates,’ from which bone growth continues to emanate until complete skeletal growth is achieved. But the fact is that this belief was not based on scientific findings, but anecdotal evidence.

In actuality strength training improves the bone mass density of children and adolescents. Osteoporosis, a progressive disease which causes bones to lose their mineral mass and turn brittle and spongy, is a disease that affects more than 40 million across the globe. Due to an insufficient intake of calcium, the body begins to use bone calcium for its needs. This is a problem in itself, but is further aggravated by the sub-optimal levels of bone mass on adults due to inactivity. Bone mass also decreases as one ages . Exercise, more specifically weight bearing exercise, leads to a build-up of calcium in bones, assuming calcium intake is adequate. By exercising at an early age, children can give their bones a head start in the fight against osteoporosis.

Science does not support the myth that strength training has a negative effect on the growth of children; in fact it shows that it has positive effects on bone health and growth. These facts have lead to The American College of Sports Medicine, American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association supporting child and adolescent participation in strength training programmes.

S. BASU (The writer is a CSCS (NSCA), C.H.E.K and expert trainer)

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