At what bone age do boys stop growing taller?
Apr 18, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Xu Shuai
Introduction
Boys generally stop growing in height around the age of 18, but the exact timing varies from person to person and should be determined based on bone age. Bone age refers to the developmental age of a person's skeletal system and typically reflects whether the growth plates have closed. It is usually assessed at a hospital using an X-ray examination. If the growth plates have closed, further height increase is unlikely.
Boys generally stop growing in height around the age of 18, but the exact timing varies from person to person and should be determined based on bone age.
Bone age refers to the developmental age of a person's skeletal system and typically reflects whether the growth plates have closed. It is usually assessed through an X-ray examination at a hospital. Once the growth plates have closed, further height increase becomes very unlikely. There is currently no definitive age at which boys stop growing; the determination depends on the closure status of the growth plates. Boys typically experience growth plate closure around age 18, meaning they may stop growing by then. However, some boys may develop later, with delayed growth plate closure, resulting in a later cessation of growth compared to others. During puberty, which is usually the peak period for growth, boys can grow approximately 7–8 cm per year.
During puberty, boys should focus on nutritional supplementation, consuming more foods rich in protein and calcium—such as milk, eggs, and beef—which can help promote height development to a certain extent.
