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Does Wearing a Weight Vest Make You Shorter? Must Read

A weighted vest is a low-impact way to improve fitness. It adds weight to body-weight activities, including walking, jogging, and agility drills. However, a weighted vest may also raise the severity of a workout, making it more challenging to complete.

Putting on weight can make people lose calories and boost their bone strength. In addition, a weighted vest can aid in the development of strength, durability, and cardio. A weighted vest may also bring diversity to a workout because it can be used in several body-weight activities.

But does wearing a weight vest make you shorter? Even though there is no clear answer to this issue, it is critical to know how they function and how to use them appropriately. Therefore, this article will explore whether or not wearing a weighted vest makes you shorter. 

text: does wearing a weight vest make you shorter with a picture of a man running on the beach

Does Wearing a Weight Vest Make You Shorter

No, a weight vest does not make you shorter. A weighted vest is a terrific tool for health-conscious people, military professionals, and the first rescuers who are trained to be able to bear higher weights when worn appropriately, with the optimum intensity and frequency.

When misused, though, it might increase the risk of back injury and spinal compression.

It slips over the shoulders and around the waist when someone uses a weighted vest. As a result, more strain is placed on the spine. If one isn’t used to wearing a weighted vest and overuses it, the intervertebral discs might be compressed with time. As there is less room between the discs when intervertebral discs are strained, the spine becomes shorter.

Increasing weight in the body, whether it’s in the form of a weighted vest or by weight gain, enhances the force of gravity. You gradually lose some height, but it will take a very long time. Utilize it for 1⁄2 of the day if possible. This one issue, however, should not prevent people from reaping the many the benefits of best weight vests.

It is shocking how much they can assist in getting ready for competitive activities. Weighted vests can be used for a variety of workouts, running, walking, and other forms of exercise. Following are some of the benefits of best weight vests for Running:

  • Burning calories
  • Increased overall health
  • Bone strength
  • Bone fortification
  • Enhances heart health
  • More balance
  • Excellent running skills

Can A Weight Vest Stunt Your Growth?

A weighted vest doesn’t stunt your growth. The idea that wearing a weighted vest ceases growth in people particularly youngsters is not supported by any scientific data or study. However, experts point out that this can be caused by bad form, heavy weights, and inadequate supervision.

The advantages of wearing a weighted vest are numerous and comprehensive. During exercises, one can wear a weight vest to build muscle strength while simultaneously eliminating a lot of calories. Though no research has been done on how much load should be put on a vest, many professionals recommend between five and ten percent of a person’s body mass. This is backed on research of backpack maximum load limitations.

Damage and injuries can arise from carrying too much weight. Therefore, several manufacturers and caretakers who use weighted vests recommend that kids wear the vest for 20 minutes before taking it off for another twenty minutes.

Are Weighted Vests Harmful?

Although weight vests are a popular way to improve strength, speed, and endurance, they also raise the risk of injury. The extra weight from the vest can cause displacement of the intervertebral discs, narrowing the gaps between the vertebrae. Back discomfort and damage can result from intervertebral disc compression.

A weighted vest, particularly significantly laden, will shift the center of mass away from the support base, putting extra strain on the muscles. In addition, if the weight is not balanced properly, the muscles on the opposite end of the weight may experience a lot of tension. 

The back muscles will experience heavy strain if the weight is on the front of the body. Therefore, to get the best out of a weighted vest while reducing the chance of injury, make sure the weight is uniformly balanced in the front and back. It’s important to analyze your situation and decide whether running with a weight vest is right for you.

Conclusion

A weighted vest is a flexible and pretty powerful piece of fitness gear. Whether aerobic or weight training, almost any exercise can benefit from it. Not just that, but it can also help lose weight, gain muscle mass, and build bones.

If you want to use a weight vest to optimize your training, make sure to purchase the proper weight vest for your goals. If you are going to primarily use it when running, check out our best weight vests for running here.

Does wearing a weight vest make you shorter? Yes, a weighted vest (if worn improperly) can make people appear shorter for a very short time due to spinal compression. Don’t forget to take things lightly at the start. Make sure it fits the body appropriately. We hope that this article was helpful. Is there something we didn’t address in the article?

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About the author

Jasper loves to write about fitness, running, and anything else that gets him moving outdoors. He's an avid hiker, backpacker, and climber who loves to stay fit so he can make sure he's healthy enough to enjoy his favorite hobbies. He also spends time writing about his true passions in life.