Why do we grow old dwarf go?

As people age, the height of most people decreases by at least several centimeters compared to the time when they were young. In addition to osteoporosis, there is another reason why our bodies " shrink ".

Part of our body is held upright by the spine. One reason for reduced body height, especially in women, is osteoporosis, a disease that medicine can prevent and treat. Osteoporosis means that bones become porous and weak. Because the bones of the spine are squeezed by their body weight, they are shortened - so our height decreases.

But the most common reason for height reduction in older age is not osteoporosis. The spinal disc is located between the vertebrae like rubber pads. These discs naturally shrink and change shape as we get older - mainly due to tissue and water loss. And when the discs shrink, the vertebrae get closer.

In addition, our spine is not as straight as a stick. It is actually a series of curves in the neck, upper chest and lower back. These curves of the spine increase as we get older, maybe because the muscles become weaker. And the muscles around the spine become less flexible - so it's hard to stand upright.