1.5cm growth past 18yrs old bone age

[WhoTookVendetta]

Spinal Growth and Fusion Overview​

The spine is composed of 33 vertebrae, categorized into different regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. Growth and fusion of these vertebrae occur at different times, and they contribute differently to height. Here's a breakdown:

1. Cervical Spine (Neck)​

• Vertebrae: C1 to C7
• Fusion Timeline: The growth plates in the cervical spine generally start to fuse in the late teens and are usually fully fused by around 18 to 20 years of age.
• Height Contribution: Minimal at this stage. The cervical spine doesn't contribute significantly to height after bone age 18.

2. Thoracic Spine (Upper and Mid-Back)​

• Vertebrae: T1 to T12
• Fusion Timeline: The thoracic vertebrae begin to fuse in the late teens, typically completing by ages 18 to 22. The fusion of the ring apophyses can continue slightly beyond this.
• Height Contribution: By bone age 18, most growth in the thoracic spine is complete. Any additional height gain from the thoracic region would likely be very minimal (0.5 cm or less).

3. Lumbar Spine (Lower Back)​

• Vertebrae: L1 to L5
• Fusion Timeline: The lumbar vertebrae, particularly the lower ones (L4 and L5), may not fully fuse until around 20 to 23 years of age. The ring apophyses in this region may also fuse slightly later.
• Height Contribution: The lumbar spine has the potential to contribute slightly more to height compared to the thoracic region. The additional height gain could be up to 1 cm, though this is generally the upper limit.

4. Sacrum​

• Vertebrae: S1 to S5 (fused into a single bone in adults)
• Fusion Timeline: The sacral vertebrae typically begin to fuse during adolescence and are usually fully fused by the early 20s.
• Height Contribution: The sacrum's fusion does not contribute to an increase in height since it involves the fusion of multiple vertebrae into a single bone.

5. Coccyx (Tailbone)​

• Vertebrae: Typically 4 fused vertebrae
• Fusion Timeline: The coccyx fuses later in life, usually in the late 20s to 30s.
• Height Contribution: The coccyx does not contribute to height.

Total Potential Height Gain from Spine After Bone Age 18​

• Cervical Spine: Minimal impact on height (negligible).
• Thoracic Spine: Up to 0.5 cm.
• Lumbar Spine: Up to 1 cm.

Total: The maximum additional height that could be gained from the spine after bone age 18 is approximately 1 to 1.5 cm. This is an optimistic estimate, as most people will experience much less growth, if any, after this age.

Impact of Fusion on Height​

• Pre-Fusion: During adolescence, the growth plates in the spine contribute to increases in height. Once these plates begin to fuse, height growth slows significantly.
• Post-Fusion: Once the growth plates are fully fused, further increases in height are not possible, except for minor changes due to spinal alignment or posture.

 

[Outerz14]

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