do old people actually shrink as they get older?

Question

ive heard different people joke about it on different occasions i cant tell

Answer 1

Yes, they do. As you age, your bone mass decreases and the spaces between vertebrae also decreases and eventually you can lose anywhere between 2 & 6" of your original height. Also, it doesn't just happen to the old. Those with spinal injuries, osteoporosis, back injuries, etc... can have similar shrinking experiences. Hope this helps your need for info. :) Be well.

Answer 2

you dont really shrink, but you do lose some height if you get osteoporosis(most people have this when they are older). It causes bones to get brittle and therefore since your spine is made up of 26 little bones the bones interacting in tight quarters the spine gets small fractures that eventually cause it to shorten and or become curved. Also as get older you lose muscle mass. Your not as able to go outside and run and play so the muscles not being used as much as they were.

Answer 3

Older people were not brought up with hot water, some people who did have hot water had large families and they could not bathe daily b/c there wasn't enoguh to go around. We are tought to now days bathe and shower daily but whne they were children it couldn't be done. So most old people do not bathe daily and this causes a sent, it has nothing to do with age it's just how much they bathe that determins the level of smell and if you had been brought up when they were you would understand this.

Answer 4

Yeah you do, the cartilage between each vertebrae of the spine deteriorates over time and it doesn't take much for a noticeable difference in size. Think about it, if you loose 1mm at each joint in the spine then that can add up to a few cm in total.

Answer 5

When people get older the bones become softer and often lose mobility between the spinal discs. this causes the spine to bend a little, thus causing a slight stoop or becoming shorter.

Answer 6

They don't actually shrink, but osteo causes bone deterioration and bone loss. This added with the loss of muscle mass make many older people to appear to have shrunk in size.

Answer 7

Yes, most of them do tend to shrink. Loosing bone mass and muscle tone seem to be the biggest culprets.

Answer 8

Since we are all made up of energy, one's energy field can shrink and as a result, a person can actually shrink as well.

Answer 9

in a sense, yes. as you get older the disc in your back that separates the vertebrae is compressed and thins down. the same goes for the cartilage in the knees, elbows, feet and hands

Answer 10

i shrunk after givin birth by c section i was 5 3 now im 5 1?? weird