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Growing Out of Your Shoes

Apr 14, 2010

OH NO! Your favorite pair of shoes are starting to feel tight already. Your jeans are tearing at the knees. Your sunglasses now make your head look like you have wings. You've finally got your growth spurt. The puberty growth spurt (or the height spurt) is a period during your teen years when you will start growing almost twice as fast as you were previously growing. The final result will be when you turn 20 or 21 and you've just surpassed how tall your parents are… well chances are they are now shrinking.


Shooting Up Surprise

You First, Me NextYou First, Me Next

The height spurt happens when it happens. There is no way to predict when it will be because statistics have shown that some kids start growing early in their pre-teen years, and others in their late-teens. The majority of us start our height spurt when we are 12 years old and up to 4 inches of growing a year will happen until you peak at 15. But the important thing is to not stress out about it; there is a myth that high anxiety could stunt your growth.


Wishful Thinking

Zoltar's MagicZoltar's Magic

Like Tom Hanks once said in a movie "I wish I was BIG," we all want to be big. Unfortunately unlike that movie, there is little you can do to determine how tall you will be. Genetically, your height is determined when you are born by the DNA that makes all of your features. Everyone can get different results, but normally you will look like your parents.


Groaning while Growing

Growing PainsGrowing Pains

Growing pains are common during the height spurt. When things grow quickly, your body is constantly stretching, breaking, and rebuilding so you are going to feel it. More serious problems can happen with pain in your spine, your knees swelling, or your hip clicking. Make sure to communicate with your parents if anything feels like one of these symptoms so that you can get treatment before it gets worse.


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