Do Ankle Weights Affect Height?

It usually starts with a Google search or a locker room rumor: “If I wear ankle weights, will I grow taller… or will I ruin my knees and stop growing completely?”

You’ve probably heard both versions. In American gyms—especially among teens just getting into fitness—this belief hangs around like bad advice passed from one freshman to another. You’ll see TikToks claiming ankle weights “stretch you out” and random fitness forums warning they’ll crush your growth plates.

I’ve coached high school athletes, worked with college-aged clients, and even had a parent email me once saying, “My son wants to use ankle weights. Will it stunt his growth?” The fear is real—and it’s loud. But here’s the thing: the actual science? It’s way quieter.

Let’s walk through this—no fluff, no recycled myths. Just what ankle weights really do, what they don’t do, and why your height has very little to do with strapping sandbags to your legs.

What Are Ankle Weights and Why Do People Use Them?

If you’ve never used them, ankle weights are exactly what they sound like—straps filled with weight (usually sand or metal beads) that fasten around your lower legs.

In American home workouts and casual gym routines, they’re everywhere. Especially with brands like SPRI and BalanceFrom showing up on Amazon bestseller lists. You’ll find people using them for:

• Leg lifts and kicks (think aerobic tapes from the ’80s)

• Walking workouts around the block or on treadmills

• Rehab routines guided by physical therapists

• Bodyweight resistance training when dumbbells feel too much

The adjustable ones? Super popular. I’ve got a pair that lets you tweak between 1 lb and 5 lbs per ankle—which is more than enough for most people doing high-rep toning work.

But here’s where the confusion creeps in: once people feel the “pull” of that extra weight, it’s easy to assume it’s stretching something out. Or compressing something. Or messing with your bones. That assumption? It’s the root of this whole debate.

The Science Behind Height: What Really Determines It

Now let’s ground this in biology—because height isn’t a mystery, even if the myths make it feel that way.

Your final height is mostly decided by a few key things:

• Genetics (your parents’ height gives you a rough range)

• Nutrition (especially protein, calcium, and vitamin D during growth years)

• Hormones, especially growth hormone from your pituitary gland

If you’re in your teens, your growth plates (the soft cartilage at the ends of your long bones) are still open. That’s where height change happens. Once these plates harden—epiphyseal closure, if you want the medical term—you stop growing.

And no, external resistance like ankle weights won’t magically make them close early. The American Academy of Pediatrics, CDC growth charts, and just about every sports medicine authority agree:
Resistance doesn’t cause premature growth plate fusion. Hormones and age do.

Where people get tripped up is assuming physical activity = mechanical interference. But that’s not how height works. I’ve trained 14-year-olds doing full-body resistance routines (supervised, of course), and their bone development was perfectly normal.

Can Ankle Weights Stunt Growth in Teenagers?

Alright—here’s the real worry for most teens and their parents. The idea that ankle weights might “stunt” growth somehow.

Let me say this clearly: There is no clinical evidence that ankle weights stop growth.

What can happen—especially if a teen goes overboard—is joint strain. I’ve seen kids slap on 10 lb ankle weights and do hundreds of kicks. That’s a problem… not for their bones, but for their knees, ankles, and tendons.

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) actually supports strength training for adolescents when it’s done safely. Pediatric orthopedists echo the same. The real risk is overuse, not “shortening your legs.”

So if you’re a teenager—or coaching one—here’s the safe zone:

• Stick with light weights (1-3 lbs is plenty)

• Use them for short durations (no more than 15-20 minutes per session)

• Focus on form over fatigue

Bottom line? Growth happens from the inside out. You don’t shut it down with a few weighted kicks.

Do Ankle Weights Help You Grow Taller?

Now, on the other side of the myth train: Can ankle weights increase your height? Short answer? Nope.

But I get why people ask. You see NBA players wearing weighted gear. You hear old-school coaches talk about “pulling the body down to lengthen it.” It sounds like traction.

In reality, vertical traction from ankle weights just doesn’t work the way people think. Your spine, not your legs, is where posture makes you look taller. And ankle weights don’t decompress your spine—they just add a bit of leg resistance.

Some people do report feeling “taller” after workouts. That’s usually improved posture or temporary decompression from stretching. It’s not skeletal growth.

Unless you’re using inversion therapy under medical supervision (and even that has mixed results), ankle weights won’t stretch you an inch.

Potential Risks of Using Ankle Weights Incorrectly

Let’s talk injuries—because while height isn’t affected, your joints absolutely can be.

Here’s what I’ve seen go wrong:

• Knee irritation from heavy weights during high-rep cardio

• Ankle instability when people wear them while running (just… don’t)

• Hip misalignment from uneven load or poor form

• Overuse injuries from doing too much, too fast

Physical therapists I’ve worked with recommend keeping ankle weights for controlled movements—not dynamic ones like jumping or sprinting. They’re great for:

• Seated leg extensions

• Slow, deliberate leg raises

• Post-rehab muscle activation

But once people start strapping on weights for “extra burn” during cardio? That’s where trouble usually starts.

Expert Opinions from American Doctors and Trainers

I reached out to a CSCS-certified strength coach I used to train with—his take? “Ankle weights are a tool, not a shortcut. They don’t affect height, they affect load.”

Mayo Clinic, ACE, and NASM all echo the same perspective: no evidence they impact growth—just your risk of poor movement if misused.

Cleveland Clinic’s sports medicine division even lists ankle weights under “optional tools,” noting their use in targeted toning, not structural development.

In all my years writing about growth and training, I’ve yet to find one peer-reviewed study from a US institution linking ankle weight use to reduced height. Not one.

How to Use Ankle Weights Safely for Fitness Goals

If you’re thinking about adding ankle weights to your routine, here’s what’s worked best in my own experience—and what I tell younger clients:

Step-by-step guide:

1. Choose the right weight
   → Start with 1–2 lbs per leg if you’re new. More isn’t better here.

2. Use them for isolated moves
   → Leg lifts, fire hydrants, seated extensions—not jumping jacks.

3. Limit usage time
   → 10–20 minutes per session, tops. Think of it like seasoning, not the main course.

4. Check your form
   → If something feels off in your knees or hips? Remove the weights. Always.

5. Balance both sides
   → Don’t forget to work the glutes, hamstrings, and core too—don’t just hammer the quads.

I keep mine next to my yoga mat for days I want extra tension during floor work. That’s where they shine.

Alternatives to Ankle Weights for Building Strength

Honestly? If you’re just trying to build lower body strength without irritating your joints, you’ve got better options than ankle weights.

Here’s what I recommend to most people:

For most home workouts, I rotate between a weighted vest and bands. The control you get is just way safer than swinging 5 lb weights from your ankles.

Final Thoughts: So, Do Ankle Weights Affect Height?

No—ankle weights don’t make you shorter, and they won’t make you taller either.

What they do is add resistance. That’s it. They strengthen muscles, help with rehab, and maybe tone your legs if used consistently.

If you’re a teenager—or just someone chasing a few extra inches—your energy is better spent on nutrition, sleep, and hormone balance, not external weight gadgets.

Height’s a complex cocktail of genetics and biology. Ankle weights? They’re just one ingredient in your fitness toolkit—and a pretty minor one at that.

And hey, if you’re still unsure? Take it from a guy who’s seen too many people chase shortcuts: train smart, not tall.