Exercise is a critical part of growth in children. Aerobic exercise in children and teenagers promotes bone growth that ultimately leads to an increase in height. Exercise also bestows a number of other benefits to growing children by preventing obesity, lowering blood pressure and stimulating the immune system. Although most exercises lead to an increase in growth, excessive weight training and overly vigorous exercise may ultimately lead to stunted growth and should be avoided.
Exercise and Growth Hormones
During exercise, a variety of hormones are secreted which have been found to promote growth. According to the "Textbook of Medical Physiology," the most important of these is human growth hormone. This hormone promotes the growth of muscles, bones and organs; it leads to an overall increase in a child's size. Exercise also promotes the activities of insulin, needed to promote growth in muscles. Recent evidence suggests that exercise is also associated with increased sensitivity to the hormone leptin, which lowers appetite and thereby can prevent obesity.
Studies on Exercise and Growth
A variety of studies have confirmed the beneficial effect of exercise on growth. An article published in 2010 in the "Pediatric Endocrinology Review" has found a strong correlation between exercise and bone growth. In 2011 a study published by the University of Bristol showed that vigorous exercise correlates with an increase in bone mass. These studies all show a strong correlation with exercise and bone growth, which ultimately determines a child's height.
Exercises that Promote Growth
Most exercises that children enjoy promote growth. Aerobic exercise produces the most effective growth-promoting results. Children should spend at least 60 minutes per day exercising, usually in the form that they enjoy best. Bicycling, dancing and competitive sports can promote growth; they provide a variety of other benefits, including promoting the immune system, preventing obesity and lowering cholesterol levels. Parents can play an important role by encouraging exercise and limiting screen-time exposure in children.
Exercises that Decrease Growth
While exercise has been shown to promote growth in the majority of cases, a few studies have shown the opposite. In specific kinds of exercises, growth may be stunted. Most importantly, excessive weight lifting may ultimately stunt growth in children. Dr. Charles Turner, an orthopedic surgeon, states that serious weight lifting exercises "aren’t recommended for children because overloading growing joints can stunt longitudinal bone growth." In addition, extreme forms of aerobic exercise can also prevent normal growth in children. This may particularly be seen in children with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa.
References
- "Textbook of Medical Physiology"; Arthur C. Guyton, et al.; 2010
- CHKD: Exercise
- American Physiological Society (2004, October 7). Exercise Increases Bone Mass: Start Early For Long-Lasting Effects. ScienceDaily.
- "Pediatric Endocrinology Review"; Physical activity and bone health in children and adolescents. P. Pitukcheewanont et al.; March 2010
- "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism";Habitual levels of vigorous, but not moderate or light, physical activity is positively related to cortical bone mass in adolescents. A Sayers et al.; Feb 2011
- "Experimental Biology and Medicine"; Leptin and exercise. RR Kraemer et al.; Oct 2002
