Why do adults get shorter as they age? And how much height do they actually lose?

By Christopher Anderson, Learning Facilitator, Health Sciences, Torrens University Australia

When you picture an older person, you may imagine someone shorter and slightly stooped. It’s not just your imagination: most of us gradually lose some height as we age.

But how does it happen, when and by how much?

Here’s what the science says, and when it can signal an underlying health problem.

Our spine changes structure

Most lasting height loss happens in the spine. Think of the spine as a tower of bony blocks separated by water-filled cushions. The blocks are the vertebrae, and the cushions are intervertebral discs.

Over time, these…

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