# Do we shrink when we get older? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 4, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539 "2004-07-04T21:19:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![J0BLESS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e57/32.png) [@J0BLESS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J0BLESS)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/1 "2004-07-04T21:19:04Z")
Im 5’7 and all the old people I see are shorter then me and I see a lot because I live in Florida. Im under the impression that we shrink as we get older. Do we? ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/2 "2004-07-04T21:38:15Z")
Not necessarily. Some do, however. Women especially are vulnerable if they have osteoporosis. This condition can cause tiny spinal fractures and a curved spine. Sometimes elderly arthritic people can’t stand up straight. It’s also possible that the now-elderly people you are seeing were never as tall as you are because they had poorer nutrition in their youth. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/3 "2004-07-04T23:02:23Z")
Most of us do shrink in height as we age, but some body parts actually grow. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/4 "2004-07-04T23:18:43Z")
No, mr. smartypants, we settle. Now get a job. You obviously have _way_ too much time on your hands. 😉 Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/5 "2004-07-05T00:50:41Z")
Yes, people shrink with age. I, for example, altho not old (at age 66) have lost about an inch in height since my early adult years. The reason is that the intervertebral disc spaces diminish in height with age. This is a natural aging process. In other words, the jellies between the discs in your spine lose some of their fullness and, hence, resiliency. If severe enough, this can cause back pain. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/6 "2004-07-05T01:48:51Z")
Next time you greet an elderly relative, hold your hand about two inches above his/her head and say, “I haven’t seen you since you were _this high!_” ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/7 "2004-07-05T02:41:40Z")
Yeah we shrink, and we get uglier too. Now you have something to look forward to. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/8 "2004-07-05T06:11:07Z")
My dad’s only 53, and he’s probably got decent bones on him, and he’s still lost an inch or so of height. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/9 "2004-07-05T18:45:15Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > My dad’s only 53, and he’s probably got decent bones on him, and he’s still lost an inch or so of height. This has nothing to do with osteoporosis or osteopenia. You can have the strongest bones in the world. What shrinks is the nucleus pulposus of a spinal disc, which is a jelly-like material that acts as a shock absorber for the spine. This material becomes dehydrated with age and shrinks. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/10 "2004-07-05T19:01:52Z")
I just measured myself for the first time since I joined the Navy 40 years ago. I measured 70 1/4". In the Navy it was 69". I remember because I was proud of it. 😉 I guess I’d better get a new drivers license before the govt. catches up with me. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/11 "2004-07-05T19:12:10Z")
Well I for one have grown considerably in the last 30 years. My height in fact has nearly _doubled_! ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/12 "2004-07-05T19:14:58Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Well I for one have grown considerably in the last 30 years. My height in fact has nearly _doubled_! You, therefore, are under age 40. 43 at the most. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/13 "2004-07-05T19:53:29Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > You, therefore, are under age 40. 43 at the most. 1. I’m kind of a short guy. With respect to the OP, I entered the Army at age 25 at 5’6" and left an inch shorter only 4 years later. I always though it was some kind of skeletal compression (did a LOT of running). But I never got that inch back. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/14 "2004-07-05T20:23:41Z")
> [@barbitu8](#): > > Yes, people shrink with age. But I’m only 5ft 2" now! If I shrink, people won’t be able to see me. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-shrink-when-we-get-older/253539/15 "2004-07-05T20:49:49Z")
> [@AngelicGemma](#): > > But I’m only 5ft 2" now! If I shrink, people won’t be able to see me. My ex-wife is only 4’ 11 15/16". She claims 5’, but I measured her myself. Of course that was 25 yrs ago, so she’s maybe shorter now. Or taller. Anyway, people were always bumping into her. Mostly men. I don’t know why it was almost alwats men. 😉 She was quite a package.