Like many, the captivating performances of Olympic gymnasts have always held me spellbound. After witnessing the 1992 Summer Olympics, I was convinced: competitive gymnastics was my calling, and instant stardom was surely on the horizon. My parents, however, were less enthusiastic about my aspirations. While citing the cost of lessons as a likely factor, they claimed health concerns were the real barrier – gymnastics, they warned, would stunt my growth. As an already diminutive 8-year-old often mistaken for a kindergartener, I heeded their warning. Though I’ve made peace with my missed Olympic dreams, the question lingers: does gymnastics actually stunt your growth? Or are elite gymnasts simply predisposed to shortness, making them naturally excel in the sport?
The scientific community has explored this very question, and while the myth of gymnastics causing stunted growth is largely debunked, the reality is more nuanced. It’s not as simple as intense training shrinking athletes, but rather a fascinating interplay of natural selection and the demands of the sport itself.
Unpacking the Height Discrepancy: Why Gymnasts Stand Out
It’s undeniable that female gymnasts, particularly at the elite level, appear shorter than the average woman. Consider the U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team: Jordan Chiles, at a relatively tall 5’5”, towers over teammates like the legendary Simone Biles, officially listed at 4’8”. Biles’ height makes her the shortest athlete on Team USA, a stark contrast when compared to athletes in other disciplines. For instance, basketball star Kevin Durant, also representing Team USA, stands at a towering 6’10”.
Comparing these figures to CDC statistics reveals that the average height for adult women in the United States is approximately 5’4″. This means Simone Biles is nearly eight inches shorter than the average American woman. While popular belief might attribute this to growth suppression from rigorous training, evidence points towards a different primary factor: self-selection.
Self-Selection: Nature’s Role in Shaping Gymnastics Stars
The notion that smaller individuals are drawn to gymnastics is strongly supported by experts. Dr. Kevin Thomson, a physiologist, highlighted in a BBC article that “being small helps with rotational skills (for example, somersaults).” He further noted that gymnasts often have shorter limbs, contributing to enhanced rotational abilities. This principle is similar to how basketball naturally attracts taller individuals. People with below-average height may find themselves more inclined towards gymnastics, and crucially, they are likely to have a competitive advantage.
Research reinforces this idea of self-selection occurring early in life. A study from the 1980s indicated that many gymnasts were already shorter than their peers as young as four years old. Dr. Robert M. Malina, a professor emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin, suggested to Salon in 2012 that genetics play a significant role, with many gymnasts being short simply because they have short parents. This genetic predisposition, combined with the inherent advantages of a smaller frame in gymnastics, points to self-selection as a major factor in the petite stature of gymnasts.
Simone Biles, a celebrated US gymnast, showcases her incredible athleticism at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Her stature, while shorter than average, is advantageous in gymnastics, highlighting the sport’s unique physical demands.
The Impact of Gymnastics Training: A Temporary Influence
While self-selection is a primary driver, the intense training regimen of gymnastics does have some influence on growth. A 2000 study published in the Journal of Pediatrics investigated this, comparing active gymnasts, retired gymnasts, and non-gymnasts. The findings revealed that while gymnastics attracts women who are naturally shorter and exhibit delayed bone age (where skeletal maturity lags behind chronological age), gymnastics training itself can have a temporary impact on growth. Active gymnasts showed slight deficits in leg length and sitting height. However, importantly, this effect was not permanent. Upon retirement, typically in their late teens or early twenties, most gymnasts experienced “catch-up” growth. The study concluded that “[a]dult gymnasts who had been retired for eight years had no deficit in sitting height [or] leg length,” and that “A history of gymnastic training does not appear to result in reduced stature…in adulthood.”
This indicates that while rigorous training during growth years might lead to a temporary delay, it does not permanently stunt growth. The body largely compensates once the intense training ceases.
Health Implications and Height: More Than Just Stature
The height of a gymnast isn’t just about aesthetics or fulfilling a stereotype; it can also have implications for health and performance within the sport.
Injury Risk and Height
Interestingly, being shorter may actually be advantageous in terms of injury prevention in gymnastics. A 2019 systematic review of 22 studies published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that height and body mass are significant factors linked to gymnastics-related injuries. The study found that a lower height and body mass were associated with a reduced risk of injury, particularly at higher competition levels. This suggests that a smaller frame, common among gymnasts, could contribute to their resilience in the demanding sport. However, the study also highlighted “life stress” as a significant injury risk, echoing Simone Biles’ experience with “the twisties” and her prioritization of mental health at the 2021 Olympics.
Menstruation and Bone Age
Elite gymnastics training is known to delay the onset of menstruation. A 1996 study revealed that only 20% of 13-year-old gymnasts had started menstruating, compared to 95% of average 13-year-olds. Gymnasts are also at a higher risk of exercise-induced amenorrhea, where menstruation stops due to low body weight and exercise-related hormonal changes. Furthermore, a 2002 study in Greece found that gymnasts exhibited delayed bone age, with female gymnasts being approximately two years behind their actual age in skeletal maturation. However, similar to height, studies indicate that these menstrual irregularities and bone age delays are generally not permanent and tend to normalize after retirement.
Nutrition
While less directly linked to height, nutrition plays a crucial role in the overall health and development of gymnasts. While a specific diet hasn’t been definitively linked to stunted growth, historically, eating disorders have been a concern in women’s gymnastics. Ensuring adequate nutrition is vital for young athletes undergoing intense training to support their growth, development, and overall well-being.
Debunking Myths and Embracing Reality
The persistent myth that gymnastics training permanently stunts growth is largely unfounded. While intense training during formative years can lead to a temporary delay in growth, particularly in leg length and sitting height, research indicates that gymnasts typically catch up after retirement. The primary reason for the petite stature of elite female gymnasts is self-selection: individuals with naturally smaller frames are drawn to and excel in a sport where being small offers distinct advantages in terms of rotational skills and potentially injury prevention.
So, for aspiring gymnasts, the dream of reaching great heights in the sport shouldn’t be overshadowed by fears of not reaching great heights in stature. The science reveals a more nuanced picture, celebrating the incredible athleticism and dedication of these petite powerhouses.
Studies cited:
Ackland, T., Elliott, B., & Richards, J. (2003). Growth in body size affects rotational performance in women’s gymnastics. Sports biomechanics, 2(2), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.1080/14763140308522815
Bacciotti, S., Baxter-Jones, A., Gaya, A., & Maia, J. (2017). The Physique of Elite Female Artistic Gymnasts: A Systematic Review. Journal of human kinetics, 58, 247–259. https://doi.org/10.1515/hukin-2017-0075
Bale, P., Doust, J., & Dawson, D. (1996). Gymnasts, distance runners, anorexics body composition and menstrual status. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 36(1), 49–53.
Bass, S., Bradney, M., Pearce, G., Hendrich, E., Inge, K., Stuckey, S., Lo, S. K., & Seeman, E. (2000). Short stature and delayed puberty in gymnasts: influence of selection bias on leg length and the duration of training on trunk length. The Journal of pediatrics, 136(2), 149–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3476(00)70094-1
Caine, D., Lewis, R., O’Connor, P., Howe, W., & Bass, S. (2001). Does gymnastics training inhibit growth of females?. Clinical journal of sport medicine : official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, 11(4), 260–270. https://doi.org/10.1097/00042752-200110000-00009
Campbell, R.A., Bradshaw, E.J., Ball, N.B., et al (2019) Injury epidemiology and risk factors in competitive artistic gymnasts: a systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine 53:1056-1069.
Georgopoulos, N. A., Theodoropoulou, A., Leglise, M., Vagenakis, A. G., & Markou, K. B. (2004). Growth and skeletal maturation in male and female artistic gymnasts. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 89(9), 4377–4382. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2003-031864
