Gransnet forums

Health

shrinking in old age

(15 Posts)
pably15 Wed 01-Jul-26 12:24:50

I saw the nurse for my yearly check up yesterday, blood test, blood pressure and measured my height, she said I'm shorter than I was last year. I used to be 5ft 4 years ago.. last year I was 5ft 1.., now I'm only 5ft. it seems that the older you get the discs in your spine get thinner, so you lose height, pity it doesn't work that way with weight

Georgesgran Wed 01-Jul-26 12:29:08

I often think I’m not overweight, just under-tall (currently 5ft 5ins) 🤔

Greenfinch Wed 01-Jul-26 12:30:21

I find this most annoying. I used to be 5ft 5 but now I am 5ft 3 and have difficulty reaching some of the shelves in my kitchen cupboards.

M0nica Wed 01-Jul-26 12:39:38

I'm another. I was 5ft 4.5 inches. I am now 5ft 2in. It means instead of being a whisker taller than DD I am now several inches shorter - and she won't let me forget it!

Redhead56 Wed 01-Jul-26 12:42:44

I was always the tallest out of five sisters 5ft 6. The nurse told me last year I was 5ft 4.5. My daughter said last week that I have shrunk even more my whole body height and weight!

pably15 Wed 01-Jul-26 12:47:34

My niece says I will soon have to shop in the children's section
my skirts and trousers are getting longer.

Greyduster Wed 01-Jul-26 12:51:02

I am definitely shorter than the five feet and half an inch I have always been. Any more shrinkage and I’ll be applying for a job with the seven dwarfs. 🎶We dig dig dig dig dig dig dig in our mine the whole day throooo🎵😁.

yogitree Wed 01-Jul-26 12:58:29

Georgesgran

I often think I’m not overweight, just under-tall (currently 5ft 5ins) 🤔

Georgesgran, wink. Me too smile

Padstow13 Wed 01-Jul-26 13:21:34

Yes, I'm sure we shrink with the years.

And I wonder if the supermarket CEO's are aware that stacking upper shelves high and even higher puts several lines of items out of reach of the likes of moi - 4ft 11ins.

I know someone will say "well ask staff to reach for it for you!", but can you find a suitably tall member of staff when you need one?

And it's not merely a rare occasion - it's fairly regular. How high can these shelves get?

pably15 Wed 01-Jul-26 13:33:02

Greyduster

I am definitely shorter than the five feet and half an inch I have always been. Any more shrinkage and I’ll be applying for a job with the seven dwarfs. 🎶We dig dig dig dig dig dig dig in our mine the whole day throooo🎵😁.

which one of us will be Snowhite ?

BlueBelle Wed 01-Jul-26 13:37:05

Always 5ft6 now 5ft 4 in
Yes we do shrink with age that a biological definite

Judy54 Wed 01-Jul-26 13:41:21

I certainly hope that I don't/have not shrunk with age as I am only 4ft 11 inches to start off with!

PernillaVanilla Wed 01-Jul-26 13:47:34

My height has reduced too. It is a real downside that the top level of the healthy weight band is now 9 stone eight, not 10 stone one as before. It ‘a still the same me but I need to lose half a stone to be healthy weight just because my spine is more compact!

pably15 Wed 01-Jul-26 13:48:51

I googled it ..it says when you reach 40 years you start to lose 1/2 inch every decade

pably15 Wed 01-Jul-26 13:51:13

And I'll need to lose more than a stone...