Question:
Hi,
I am 16 standing at 173cm. I am the tallest in my family.
I haven’t grown for almost a year now. The calculator said that I am at stage 4.3 on the Tanner Scale. I grew about 25 cm from 12 to 15 years of age, and then, suddenly, I stopped growing.
Can I get taller? Is there anything else I can tell you to get a better answer?
Thank you for your time.
Answer:
Assuming that the estimate of 4.3 is accurate, what I would assume is that your body is focusing on the growth of things that you don’t notice, such as organs, hair follicles, widening shoulders, etc. There is a limit to the amount of energy available for growth and it is not enough to fuel everything at once. What is likely to happen is that after a phase, your bones will continue to grow, but not nearly as fast. The growth remaining will decrease until it stops completely when you reach stage 5.
Question:
One last question: Is there a chance of me gaining at least 5 cm before the end of puberty?
Thank you for your help.
Answer:
Since you are already partway through stage 4, 1 to 3 cm for the last part is more reasonable. Five centimeters would be unusual.