Question:
Hi,
I just turned 17 years old and am currently 5’10/5’11. I have taken your Tanner stage test which tells me I am at Tanner stage 4.2 and that growth in height is starting to slow down. However, I am eating as if I am in a growth spurt and feeling very tired even though I am getting 8-10 hours of sleep. Is it a sign of another growth spurt, even though I have a line of hair to my belly button and very slight chest hair developing? Can you have a growth spurt for your torso? I only ask this as my legs are longer than some people who are 2-3 inches taller than me. I started puberty quite late.
Answer:
Your legs grow more during stage 3 and the torso grows during stage 4. This is why your legs are long for your body at the beginning of stage 4. As the stage progresses you will even out. Growth in stage 4 is slower because the spine is involved. The heaviest growth during stage 4 is at its beginning and it tappers off until growth stops at the start of stage 5.
Even though growth in height slows down, this is not the only growth you are experiencing. During stage 4, your shoulders are widening, your lungs and heart are getting bigger, and your muscles are growing. All of this takes a lot of energy, which is why you are often hungry and sleeping longer.