Does Stretching Make You Taller?

Having trouble reaching the top shelf or keeping your head above water, and want to do something about it?

Stretching won’t technically get you any closer to the shelf or help you stand above water in the pool, but it can help you feel taller if you work on straightening your posture.

Sports medicine specialist Lauren Wichman, MD, shares some beneficial exercises that can help straighten your back and keep your head held high.

How stretching can make you appear taller

Stretching may not add any actual inches to your height, but it can certainly help you feel better in your body. It can even affect how tall you appear.

“Improving your posture can help you look taller,” says Dr. Wichman. “Part of that process is relaxing tight muscles that may cause you to hunch or place extra strain on your neck and back.”

Example stretches to improve posture

Posture is a tricky thing to correct, especially if you’ve spent years hunched over a desk or slouching over your phone.

“Your body can fall into a pattern of being accustomed to these postures, which puts a lot of strain on your neck, back and shoulders,” explains Dr. Wichman. “But we can train ourselves to have better posture.”

Straighten things out with the following stretches:

Chin tucks

1. Sit or stand as tall as you’re comfortable.
2. Lightly touch the front of your chin.
3. Keeping your finger still, pull your head and neck back and away from your finger.
4. Hold this position for 10 seconds before slowly moving your head and neck back to the starting position, allowing your chin to rest against your finger.
5. Repeat for eight to 10 reps a few times a day.

Doorway stretch

1. Stand just outside of a doorframe with one foot in front of the other.
2. Raise your arms into a goalpost position, palms facing forward, and allow them to rest against the doorframe.
3. Slowly lean forward until you feel a deep stretch in your shoulders and upper back.
4. Hold for 10 seconds, then rest for five.
5. Repeat for eight to 10 reps a few times a day.

Hip flexor stretch

1. Kneel on your right knee, then step your left foot out in front of you so it’s bent at a 90-degree angle.
2. Keeping your back as straight as possible, slowly lean your hips forward until you feel a stretch from your hip down to your right knee.
3. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch legs and repeat for two to three sets.

Scapular retraction

1. Sit tall in a chair or stand with your back straight against a wall, with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. While looking ahead, gently pull your shoulders back and down toward the middle of your lower back, as if you’re trying to hold a broom or a pencil between your shoulders.
3. Hold the stretch for three to five seconds, then rest for five.
4. Repeat for eight to 10 reps a few times a day.

Neck stretch

1. Sit or stand as tall as you feel comfortable.
2. Take your right hand and reach over your head to place your fingers on your left temple.
3. While looking straight ahead, gently try to bring your right ear to your right shoulder.
4. When you feel a stretch in the left side of your neck, hold it for three to five seconds, then return to the starting position.
5. Switch sides and repeat, alternating for three to five reps on each side.

Reaching mountain pose

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and toes pointing forward.
2. Press evenly through your feet and engage your core.
3. Roll your shoulders down and back to open up your chest and correct your posture.
4. Tuck your chin slightly and lengthen your spine by straightening your back.
5. Reach both arms overhead, extending your reach through your fingertips as if you’re trying to grow taller.
6. Take slow, deep breaths and hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds.
7. Rest for 10 seconds, then repeat for two to three sets.

What actually determines height?

Children have growth plates in their legs, arms, hands and feet that are continually growing new bone. These plates allow your bones to get longer and wider. They have a direct effect on your size and height.

As you reach puberty, those growth plates close off and stop creating new bone. Girls tend to reach their max height by age 14 or 15, while boys tend to reach their max height between 16 and 18.

“Genetics play a big role in how your growth plates work and how fast your bone develops,” says Dr. Wichman. “If you injure a growth plate, that can sometimes affect growth. But for the most part, genetics play a pretty significant role.”

Reaching your full height potential also depends on:

• Nutrition
• Human growth hormone
• Sleep quality
• Environmental factors, like extreme living conditions
• Medical conditions, like autoimmune diseases or genetic disorders

Straight talk

If you keep sliding back into an uncomfortable posture, keep stretching and strengthening those muscles in your neck and back. When you find yourself falling back into the old habit of slouching, remind yourself to sit or stand straight. It’ll take some time, but eventually, you might feel taller just by paying attention to how you’re holding yourself.

“Daily check-ins are really helpful when making a habit of proper posture,” says Dr. Wichman. “Creating a stretching routine and doing strength training can also help you train the muscles in your neck and back so you can slouch less and less over time and feel more confident about how you’re carrying yourself.”