Does Pilates Make You Taller?

We often hear the question: Does Pilates make you taller? The truth is, Pilates doesn’t lengthen bones, but it can make us appear taller.

How so?

In people who do Pilates regularly, the spine aligns, posture improves, and muscle flexibility increases. This can provide both a more upright stance and a “stretched” appearance of up to 2–3 cm.

-In a 2024 study, an average increase of 2.7 cm was observed in the height measurement of participants after Pilates mat exercise. This increase was related to the reduction of spinal compression and upright posture, not bone lengthening (Scaringi et al., 2024).

-In a study conducted in Turkey, the flexibility and balance values of sedentary women who did Reformer Pilates 3 days a week for 8 weeks changed significantly. This means a more solid posture and a taller appearance (Güler et al., 2024).

As a result, Pilates does not make you taller in terms of bone length, but it gives you a more upright, elegant, and elongated appearance.


Pilates Instructor

RÜYA ANAÇ

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