A chiropractor cannot make you permanently taller, as true, permanent height is determined by fixed biological factors that cannot be altered in adulthood. However, a chiropractor can temporarily increase measured height by optimizing posture and reducing spinal compression. This intervention aims to maximize the height you already possess by restoring the natural, healthy alignment of your spine, offering a measurable but non-permanent increase in stature.
How Human Height is Determined
The biological limits of a person’s height are primarily set by genetic inheritance, which accounts for up to 80% of the variation in adult stature. Skeletal growth occurs in specialized cartilage structures known as growth plates, located near the ends of long bones. These plates are composed of cartilage cells that multiply and then calcify into new bone tissue, causing the bones to lengthen.
Once a person reaches skeletal maturity, typically between the ages of 14 and 20, hormonal changes cause these growth plates to fuse completely. When this fusion occurs, the long bones can no longer grow, and true skeletal growth stops permanently. Since chiropractic adjustments do not re-open or alter the structure of fused bone tissue, they cannot add new bone length to a mature adult frame.
Spinal Compression and Daily Height Fluctuation
While bone length is fixed after maturity, a person’s measured height is not static throughout the day, a phenomenon known as diurnal variation. The spine is responsible for a significant portion of this fluctuation, as it contains 24 movable vertebrae separated by intervertebral discs. These discs are soft, fluid-filled cushions that act as shock absorbers.
Throughout the day, gravity and constant upright activities like standing and sitting exert compressive forces on the spinal column. This pressure causes the discs to gradually lose water content, resulting in a measurable loss of stature. An individual can lose up to 1 to 2 centimeters of height from morning to evening due to this normal disc compression. The lost height is naturally recovered during sleep when the spine is unloaded, allowing the discs to rehydrate and expand to their original volume.
The Effect of Chiropractic Adjustments on Posture
Chiropractic adjustments work by directly addressing the temporary height loss caused by spinal compression and poor posture. Spinal manipulation, often involving high-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) thrusts, applies controlled force to specific areas of the spine. The intent is to reduce joint restriction and correct slight misalignments that can exacerbate compression and poor alignment. By relieving acute pressure on the compressed intervertebral discs, an adjustment can temporarily mimic the decompression that occurs during a night of sleep.
This process can lead to an immediate, measurable increase in standing height by allowing the discs to briefly re-expand and by restoring the spine’s natural curves. Adjustments that correct forward head posture or functional kyphosis (slouching) effectively straighten the body’s vertical axis, maximizing the spine’s inherent length. Individuals typically experience a height increase ranging from a quarter of an inch up to two centimeters, which represents the recovery of lost postural height. This increase is temporary, however, as the effects of gravity and daily activity will cause the discs to re-compress over time.
Understanding the Limits of Spinal Correction
The height gain achieved through chiropractic care is purely a postural optimization, not a change in a person’s fundamental skeletal length. The adjustments restore the maximum possible height achievable from the existing bone structure and disc health. While studies have shown that spinal manipulation can increase intervertebral disc height, this change is not permanent and requires maintenance to sustain.
The primary therapeutic goals of chiropractic care extend beyond simply standing taller, focusing instead on broader functional health. These objectives include improving joint mobility, managing musculoskeletal pain, and enhancing nerve function. Increasing a patient’s height is not considered a recognized, long-term outcome or a principal objective of the practice. Patients should view any height increase as a positive side effect of achieving a healthier, more upright posture, understanding that the improvement is reversible without continued postural support and care.