As we age, it is normal that our body changes including the size of our feet. Many may have wondered when do feet stop growing? This is a very interesting question that many will not ask but is often pondered upon.
Of course, there are also several factors that contribute to the growth of your feet. Knowing this can have advantages for you and in ways, you pick out your footwear. Having the knowledge and being aware of how your body changes over time can help you in many ways.
This article will reveal the interesting answer to the question of when do feet stop growing. Additionally, this guide also includes some information you need to know about your growing feet.
All You Need to Know about the Growth of Your Feet
When Do Feet Stop Growing?
You may have asked yourself this question or wonder when do feet stop growing. To put it simply, the growth of the feet ceases towards the end of adolescence. This typically happens at the age of 14 for girls and 16 for boys.
During the period, the growth plates of the feet stop growing. Be that as it may, there are still several factors that can affect the changes in foot size. The first year of the child is the most important stage of the feet’ growth.
During the age of 4, the feet grow about 10 millimeters per month. This is the stage when kids usually outgrow their footwear in just a short period of time. At the age of 9 to 11 years old, another growth spurt takes place.
This slows down as they enter the adolescence stage and eventually stops towards the end of it.
Factors That Contribute to the Growth of Your Feet
You now know that the growth of the feet ceases towards the end of the adolescence stage. To let you know of more important information about the growth of your feet, here are some of the factors that can contribute to it.
- Genes
One of the factors that play a huge role in the growth of the feet is genes. This will often determine if you have inherited the size of the feet that are on the bigger side or otherwise.
Genes also determine the length, width, and speed of growth of the feet which most likely factors passed on from your parents or grandparents.
- Gender
Although gender may not always play a significant role in the growth or size of the feet, this is still considered one of the factors that have an effect on it. Typically, the feet of a male tend to grow longer compared to a female’s feet.
- Diet and Nutrition
Believe it or not, what you eat can also have an effect on the growth of your feet. Eating and sticking to a healthy diet supports an ideal body growth overall including your feet. Consequently, eating unhealthy food can have an adverse effect on your body’s growth and development.
- Pressure
This factor does not just affect the growth of the feet but is also an important element to consider when buying footwear. An external pressure that is beyond normal can force the feet to remain in a certain size.
Many may have heard this practice done from the Chinese culture to impede the growth of the feet which is done by binding the feet tightly and forcing a person to wear footwear smaller than the ideal size.
Other Factors That Affect Feet Growth During Adulthood
If you think that your feet will remain the same after the adolescence stage, you might have concluded that a little too early. As we age, there are also certain elements that can change the size of the feet.
- Pregnancy
With pregnancy comes all sorts of changes to a woman’s body. This includes hormones changes as well as enlarged parts of the body with the inclusion of the feet. Unfortunately for some, their foot size does not go back to what it was before getting pregnant.
To know more about this, watch this short clip:
- Weight and Age
After the adolescence stage, your feet may still change in size due to your weight and age. Your weight directly affects your feet as all pressure of your body is carried by it.
As your weight increases, there is a huge tendency of your feet increasing size as well as it causes flattening of the foot resulting in it widening.
Another factor is age since the ligaments and bones of the feet loosen up as we age, the size of the feet also changes. This typically happens once you hit the age of 50 years old or for some it could be years after that.
- Swelling
This specific condition is caused by the retention of fluid inside the body which causes parts of the body to swell. This is often observed and manifested on the feet. It is also another factor typically connected to pregnancy.
However, this can also occur to a person with an underlying medical condition such as kidney issues.
Final Thoughts
In summary, the growth of the feet stops towards the end of the adolescence stage which is during the age of 14 for girls and 16 for boys. Nevertheless, the changes in the size of the feet have many factors that contribute to it.
Now that you have the knowledge about the growth and changes of your feet, this can aid you on choosing the correct footwear that you can use for a long time and one that you can be comfortable with.
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