How can I be having a second growth spurt at 20?

Last updated on September 26, 2020

Question:

Hi,

I’m 20 and 5’6. My father is 5’11(1/2) and my mom is 5’0. I have a greater upper to lower body ratio. For a while as a child, I was 5’0 feet from age 12 to14 and did not have a growth spurt until I was 14.5 in which i went from 5’0 to 5’5(1/2) in less than a month and grew another half an inch a year later before the age of 16 making me 5’6. Then I just stopped growing.

Now I’m 20 years old and was recently diagnosed with cervical kyphosis and a left lumbar curve. I received muscle therapy and spinal correction treatment to fix the problem. According to the x-rays, the doctor told me that I have a growth spurt in my legs and torso and that there will be a difference in my height. I’ve been taking supplements, stretching, cycling, and swimming. He also told me that I’m a rare case: my growth plates are over halfway and about to close, but somehow I have another growth spurt. It’s like my upper body is in Tanner stage 4 and my lower body in Tanner stage 3.

My question is how many inches can I possibly grow? Where do I fit on the Tanner stage scale? Will I catch up to my father’s height or get close?

Thanks.  

Answer:

Since your body is doing something unusual, there would be nothing for me to compare it against. Be happy that you are going to get some extra growth. Keep doing what you are doing since it seems to be working. As for the Tanner stages, it too would not directly apply since your growth pattern is not typical. What you need to do is treat each series as separate — body hair, facial hair, pubic hair, genitals, leg, and arm growth, and spinal and shoulder growth. It is possible for one series to be in one stage and another series to be in another stage.

Question:

Thanks,

It’s been difficult growing up and having a different growth curve than everyone else and being behind in height and then at the last second catching up. Thanks for the advice and I’ll keep you updated. My feet grew from a size 9 to 10.5 from late last year to early this year.

I forgot to mention I look very young for my age. People think I’m 15 in high school all the time. Once some 13-year-old girls hit on me and later in the conversation I told them I was 19. They laughed and they thought I was their age at first glance. It really takes a blow to my self-esteem. Even in sports, I would always have to play harder because everyone else was accelerating in growth and my growth just stopped.

I always asked God since I was 16 that I wanted to be a bit taller than average: not too short and not too tall, just right. My doctor told me to set a goal, and I’ve set a goal for myself 5’10 before August.  

Answer:

I don’t know why the doctor said to set a goal for yourself in regards to your height since that really isn’t in your control. Be thankful for what have and praise God for what you are being given, and in all things be content.

While looking young is seen as a detriment when you are young, when you get to be 40, you will be thankful for your youthful looks.

And if you had to work harder to equal those with natural gifts, then you are better off. You have the personal discipline that others never learned to develop.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 4:2-4).