Earth & Sky

Does aging cause people to shrink?

Why do some people shrink as they get older?

In old age, most people are at least a couple of centimeters – about an inch – shorter than they were in their youth. Consider that we’re held upright mainly by the bones of the spine, called the vertebrae. One reason for loss of height, especially in women, is osteoporosis, a preventable and treatable disease in which bones become more porous and fragile. As the bones of the spine are compressed by body weight, the spine gets shorter – and you shrink in height.

But the most common reason for decreased height in older life isn’t disease. The intervertebral discs are like rubber pads in between the vertebrae. These discs naturally shrink and change shape as you age – mainly because of tissue and water loss. And when the discs shrink, the bones of the spine settle closer together. What’s more, the spine isn’t straight like a stick. It’s really a series of curves in the neck, upper chest, and lower back. These curves in the spine can get exaggerated as you age, maybe because the muscles get weaker. And muscles around the spine may become less flexible as you age – so it’s harder to stand up straight.

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