I was a gymnast, and I think if I were to have not been in gymnastics, I would be taller right now. I am fifteen years old and only 5’2’’. The definition of stunt growth would be known as a stop or hindrance in growth or development. I think my growth definitely slowed down and I would possibly have a growth spurt but I won’t know until I start to grow. Researchers say that gymnastics does stunt your growth or can delay it, but haven’t given any estimated times of when you will start your growth.

According to the article, Why Gymnastics should be Banned published on November 17^th, 2005, by Natalie Bennett. She states that gymnastics should be banned because she believes the kids in china are being used as child labor and is a substance of child abuse. She believes this when children are training so much to be able to go to the Olympics. Kids in China are trained to be more flexible than the kids in America and the Kids in China are over worked bending too much making them shorter.

A different website article, Most Girls Have Normal Growth After Gymnastics, published on February 22^nd, 2000, by Denise Mann WebMD Medical News. Denise states that gymnasts may stunt their growth because of their intense exercise regiments. However, a new study published in the February issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, suggests that short people pick and stick to gymnastics. Short statures are considered as an advantage in the sport. Because of a shorter person’s center gravity is closer to the ground than taller athletes who play volleyball. A research team led by Ego Seeman, MD, an endocrinologist at the Austin and Repatriation Medical Center in Melbourne, Australia, reports that while active gymnasts did have reduced standing height, sitting height, and leg length compared with non-gymnasts, once they retired from gymnastics, they caught up with control subjects in terms of height.

The same goes with another article, A List of Exercises that Stunts Children’s Growth, Published on May 13, 2011, by Suzanne Allen. Suzanne states that artistic gymnasts, both male and female, experience a reduction of growth potential, but this is particularly pronounced in males. Among rhythmic gymnasts, a female’s genetic predisposition for growth is not reduced, but significantly delayed. In both artistic and rhythmic gymnasts, the prepubescent phase is prolonged and puberty shifts to a later age. This delay or lack of growth may result from continuous impact to joints.

In conclusion, Gymnastics stunts your growth. There is no way around it, if you start gymnastics as a little girl or boy up until you quit or don’t want to do gymnastics anymore you are probably shorter than average. But after you are done with the sport you will begin to grow. The researchers say that shorter people have advantages because their center gravity is closer to the ground. The growth in gymnasts isn’t reduced but it is significantly delayed. This occurs because of a continuous strain on joints, muscles and limbs, thus causing them to be shorter.

Now, questions for you:

1. If you were in gymnastics since you were little, are you shorter than you think you would be by now?
2. Have you gone through a recent growth spurt after you haven’t been in gymnastics for a while?
3.  Do you believe that shorter people have an advantage in the sport?
4. Do you think shorter people’s center gravity is better to help flexibility and height of tumbling and jumps?