Does gymnastics stunt growth? It's quite the hot topic and many people weigh in with their own opinions. We've even heard conflicting opinions from medical providers. It's such a big question that it's actually been investigated and researched quite a bit in the past few decades by some heavy hitters such as the International Gymnastics Federation.

Some providers will give you a flippant response like, "gymnastics stunts their growth but it's fine, they'll catch up when they quit". But not growing and developing while in gymnastics should be a big red flag to parents and doctors for underfueling. We need to do our due diligence to determine whether or not they're getting enough nutrition or if something else like a hormonal issue is at play.

In today's episode, I'm covering the 5 big questions I get on this topic of "does gymnastics stunt growth". Listen in to learn more.

In this episode you'll hear about:

• Normal genetic factors in gymnasts' height vs signs of underfueling
• What causes gymnasts height failure - is it all the pounding?
• Why it's not as simple as "they'll grow when they quit" in the long term for gymnasts

Links & Resources

• The Balanced Gymnast® Program for level 5-10 female gymnasts
• Episode 4: Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and Gymnastics
• Episode 51: No Period, No Problem for the Gymnast? Not quite
• Role of Intensive Training in the Growth and Maturation of Artistic Gymnasts
• Connect with Christina on Instagram @the.gymnast.nutritionist or christinaandersonrdn.com