If you are wondering how do you know if your growth plates have closed, you are probably trying to answer an even bigger question:

“Do I—or does my child—still have height left to gain?”

Growth plates are responsible for the lengthening of bones during childhood and adolescence. As puberty progresses, these growth plates gradually mature and eventually fuse. Once they are completely closed, the long bones can no longer lengthen and additional natural height growth is no longer possible.[1,2]

There are several physical clues that can suggest growth is nearing completion, including slowing height growth and advanced pubertal development.

However, there is an important distinction:

You cannot reliably confirm growth plate closure just by looking at someone.

The most useful medical assessment usually involves reviewing growth velocity, puberty, and skeletal maturity—often with a bone age X-ray when appropriate.

Below are five key signs that may suggest growth plates are closing or have already closed.

What Are Growth Plates?

Growth plates—also called epiphyseal plates or physes—are areas of developing cartilage located near the ends of many long bones.

During childhood and adolescence, cartilage cells within these areas multiply and mature, allowing the bones to lengthen.

This process contributes directly to increases in height.

Growth plates are found in bones including the:

• Femur
• Tibia
• Fibula
• Humerus
• Radius
• Ulna
• Bones of the hands and feet

As skeletal maturation progresses during puberty, the cartilage within the growth plates is gradually replaced by bone.

Eventually the growth plate becomes completely fused.

At that point:

The bone can no longer increase in length through normal childhood growth.[1]

Why Do Growth Plates Close?

Growth plate closure is part of normal puberty.

Sex hormones play an important role in this process.

Although testosterone is usually associated with male puberty, estrogen is a major driver of growth plate maturation and eventual fusion in both boys and girls.[1,2]

During puberty, sex hormones initially contribute to the adolescent growth spurt.

Over time, continued hormonal exposure advances skeletal maturation until the growth plates progressively narrow and fuse.

This means puberty does two things:

It accelerates growth—and eventually brings growth to an end.

When Do Growth Plates Usually Close?

There is no single age when everyone's growth plates close.

Growth plate closure depends more on pubertal and skeletal maturity than chronological age alone.

Girls generally enter puberty earlier and therefore tend to reach skeletal maturity earlier.

Boys generally enter puberty later and often continue growing longer.

Two teenagers who are both 16 years old may therefore have very different amounts of remaining growth.

One may have essentially completed skeletal growth.

Another—particularly a late bloomer—may still have active growth plates.

This is why birthday age alone cannot accurately determine whether growth is finished.

5 Key Signs Your Growth Plates May Have Closed

1. Height Has Barely Changed for 6–12 Months

One of the strongest practical clues is a significant slowing of growth velocity.

Growth velocity simply means:

How much height has changed over time.

During childhood, height normally increases every year. During puberty, growth temporarily accelerates before gradually slowing as skeletal maturity approaches.

If accurate measurements show almost no height increase over an extended period—particularly in someone who is already late in puberty—it may indicate that the remaining growth window is becoming very small.

However, one short interval is not enough to prove that growth plates have fused.

Accurate measurements over time provide a clearer picture.

2. The Pubertal Growth Spurt Has Ended

The adolescent growth spurt occurs before final skeletal maturity.

A teenager who previously grew rapidly and then experiences a major decline in yearly growth may be moving toward the end of linear growth.

For example, a teenager might progress from:

Rapid growth → slower growth → very little measurable height change

as puberty advances.

This pattern can suggest that growth plates are becoming progressively less active.

It does not prove complete closure, but it is an important clue.

3. Pubertal Development Is Nearly Complete

Physical development can provide additional clues about skeletal maturity.

Signs of later-stage puberty may include:

In Boys

• Mature genital development
• Increased facial and body hair
• Deeper voice
• Increased muscle mass
• Broader shoulders
• Slowing height growth

In Girls

• Mature breast development
• Menstrual cycles established
• Mature body proportions
• Slowing height growth

These features indicate advanced puberty but do not confirm that every growth plate has closed.

Puberty and skeletal maturity are closely related, but they are not identical.

4. Shoe Size and Other Body Proportions Have Stabilized

Parents frequently ask:

“If my child's feet have stopped growing, does that mean height growth is finished?”

Not necessarily.

Different parts of the skeleton mature at somewhat different times.

Hands and feet may undergo noticeable growth relatively early during puberty, while height growth can continue afterward.

However, when:

• Shoe size has remained stable
• Hand growth has stabilized
• Body proportions appear mature
• Height growth has also slowed substantially

the overall pattern can suggest that skeletal development is approaching completion.

Shoe size alone should never be used as a test of growth plate closure.

5. Bone Age Shows Advanced Skeletal Maturity

This is the most clinically useful sign.

A bone age X-ray generally evaluates skeletal maturity using an X-ray of the hand and wrist.

The appearance of the bones is compared with standardized developmental references.

As skeletal development advances, growth plates become progressively thinner and eventually fuse.

Bone age can help clinicians evaluate:

• Skeletal maturity
• Whether development is delayed
• Whether development is advanced
• Remaining growth potential
• Whether the growth plates are approaching fusion

A bone age study does not provide a perfect prediction of final height, but it is substantially more informative than trying to determine growth plate status from appearance alone.[3]

Growth Plate Closure Signs at a Glance

Possible Sign	What It May Suggest
Very little height change	Growth velocity is slowing
Pubertal growth spurt is over	Peak growth has passed
Advanced puberty	Skeletal maturity may be approaching
Stable shoe size/body proportions	Overall physical growth may be slowing
Advanced bone age	Growth plates may be approaching or reaching fusion

The key point is that no single physical sign proves growth plate closure.

Bone age and longitudinal growth measurements provide much stronger information.

Can You Feel Whether Growth Plates Are Closed?

No.

Growth plates cannot reliably be assessed by:

• Touching the knees
• Feeling the wrists
• Looking at the ankles
• Stretching
• Measuring flexibility
• Checking for joint pain

There is no home physical examination that can confirm whether the growth plates are open or closed.

Imaging is needed when precise skeletal maturity information is clinically important.

Can You Tell From Your Height?

Not completely.

If someone has not gained measurable height for a year or more and is already developmentally mature, growth may be near completion.

But temporary periods of slow growth can occur.

Late bloomers may also experience late growth spurts after many peers have already grown substantially.

This is why one height measurement—or even a few months without growth—cannot confirm growth plate closure.

What Are Late Growth Spurts?

A late growth spurt occurs when a child or teenager experiences their major pubertal growth acceleration later than average.

This commonly occurs with constitutional growth delay.

Late bloomers may:

• Look younger than classmates
• Enter puberty later
• Have delayed bone age
• Remain shorter during early adolescence
• Experience a later pubertal growth spurt
• Continue growing after earlier-maturing peers have slowed

A teenager who appears “done growing” based only on age may therefore still have meaningful growth remaining if skeletal maturation is delayed.

This is especially important in boys, who generally mature later than girls.

Can a 14-Year-Old Still Have Open Growth Plates?

Very commonly, yes.

Many 14-year-olds are still in active puberty and have substantial skeletal growth remaining.

But the amount varies dramatically.

One 14-year-old may have recently begun puberty.

Another may be much further along.

This is why age alone should not be used to predict remaining growth.

Growth velocity, pubertal stage, and bone age provide more useful information.

Can a 16-Year-Old Still Have Open Growth Plates?

Yes.

Some 16-year-olds—particularly later-maturing boys—still have active growth plates.

Others may be approaching skeletal maturity.

The difference depends on:

• Puberty timing
• Genetics
• Bone age
• Recent growth velocity
• Overall development

If determining remaining height potential is important, a skeletal maturity assessment can provide much more information than chronological age.

Can Growth Plates Still Be Open at 18?

In some late-maturing individuals, skeletal maturation may not be completely finished at 18.

However, substantial remaining growth becomes progressively less common as adolescence ends.

The only reliable way to evaluate an individual's remaining skeletal growth is to consider actual growth measurements, pubertal development, and imaging when clinically appropriate.

What Is Bone Age?

Bone age estimates skeletal maturity rather than chronological age.

A teenager may be:

16 years old chronologically

but have skeletal maturation that appears younger or older.

This difference can significantly affect growth potential.

Bone age is usually assessed with an X-ray of the left hand and wrist.

Clinicians examine the development and fusion of multiple bones and growth centers to estimate skeletal maturity.[3]

What Does Delayed Bone Age Mean?

A delayed bone age means skeletal development appears younger than chronological age.

This can occur with:

• Constitutional growth delay
• Growth hormone deficiency
• Hypothyroidism
• Nutritional problems
• Chronic medical conditions
• Other endocrine disorders

A delayed bone age can sometimes mean additional growth time remains.

However:

Delayed bone age does not guarantee a specific amount of future height.

The underlying cause and current growth pattern still matter.

What Does Advanced Bone Age Mean?

Advanced bone age means the skeleton appears more mature than expected for chronological age.

This can sometimes indicate that the remaining growth window is shorter.

A child can therefore be relatively young chronologically while being further along toward skeletal maturity.

This distinction becomes especially important when families are considering treatments intended to influence final height.

What Is a Growth Potential Assessment?

A growth potential assessment attempts to estimate how much growth a child or teenager may still have remaining.

Rather than relying on one variable, clinicians may consider:

• Current height
• Previous height measurements
• Growth velocity
• Parental heights
• Pubertal stage
• Bone age
• Medical history
• Laboratory findings
• Predicted adult height

Together, these factors provide a much clearer picture than simply asking:

“How old is the child?”

How Doctors Monitor Adolescent Bone Growth

When growth is uncertain, clinicians may track height over time.

For example, they may compare measurements taken:

• 6 months apart
• 9 months apart
• 12 months apart

This helps establish whether linear growth is still occurring.

Depending on the situation, evaluation may also include:

• Bone age
• Pubertal assessment
• IGF-1
• Thyroid testing
• Other laboratory evaluation

The appropriate workup depends on why growth is being assessed.

Can Growth Plates Reopen After They Close?

No.

Once epiphyseal growth plates have completely fused, they do not naturally reopen.

This means that after skeletal maturity:

• Stretching cannot reopen them
• Supplements cannot reopen them
• Exercise cannot reopen them
• Growth hormone cannot reopen them

This is an important distinction for anyone considering treatments marketed as ways to increase height after skeletal maturity.

Can HGH Increase Height After Growth Plates Close?

No.

Human growth hormone can support linear growth when medically indicated while active growth plates remain.

But once growth plates have completely fused, HGH cannot restart long-bone lengthening.

For a child or teenager being evaluated for a growth disorder, understanding skeletal maturity is therefore an important part of determining potential treatment benefit.

What Factors Affect When Growth Plates Close?

Genetics

Genetics influence both:

• Final height
• Puberty timing

Families often share developmental patterns.

A parent who experienced late puberty may have a child who develops later as well.

Puberty Timing

This is one of the strongest influences.

Earlier puberty tends to result in earlier skeletal maturation.

Later puberty generally shifts the growth timeline later.

Hormones

Sex hormones—particularly estrogen signaling in both males and females—play a central role in growth plate maturation and eventual fusion.[1,2]

Growth hormone, IGF-1, thyroid hormone, and other endocrine factors also influence normal skeletal growth.

Nutrition and Overall Health

Adequate nutrition is necessary for normal bone growth.

Important nutrients include:

• Protein
• Calcium
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Iron

Chronic malnutrition or certain illnesses can alter normal growth and skeletal development.

However, supplements cannot force open growth plates to remain active beyond their biological maturation.

When Should Parents Consider a Growth Evaluation?

A growth evaluation may be useful when a child or teenager:

• Has very poor growth velocity
• Is falling through height percentiles
• Is substantially shorter than expected from parental height
• Has delayed puberty
• Has not experienced an expected growth spurt
• Has an abnormal bone age
• Has low IGF-1 or another abnormal growth-related test
• Wants to know whether meaningful growth potential remains
• Is being evaluated for a possible growth disorder

Evaluation does not automatically mean treatment is needed.

Sometimes it simply confirms that the teenager is still developing normally.

The Bottom Line

So, how do you know if your growth plates have closed?

There are several clues:

1. Height growth has nearly stopped
2. The major pubertal growth spurt has passed
3. Physical puberty is advanced
4. Shoe size and body proportions have stabilized
5. Bone age shows advanced skeletal maturity or fusion

But the first four are only clues.

The strongest assessment comes from actual growth measurements combined with skeletal maturity evaluation.

Chronological age alone is not enough.

A late-developing 16-year-old may have more growth remaining than an early-maturing 15-year-old.

If remaining height potential is important, the most useful questions are:

How fast am I still growing?

Where am I in puberty?

What does my bone age show?

Are the growth plates still active?

Those answers provide a much clearer picture of remaining growth potential.

Concerned About Remaining Growth Potential?

If your child or teenager has slowed significantly in growth, has delayed puberty, is considerably shorter than expected, or you are unsure whether meaningful growth potential remains, a comprehensive pediatric growth evaluation can provide additional information.

At HGH for Children, evaluation may include review of:

• Growth history
• Growth velocity
• Height percentile
• Pubertal development
• Bone age
• IGF-1
• Family height
• Predicted adult height
• Growth hormone deficiency
• Remaining growth potential

The goal is to determine whether growth is progressing normally, whether the child may simply be developing later, or whether an underlying growth concern deserves additional evaluation.

Medically Reviewed By

Dr. Devin Stone, ND

Dr. Devin Stone, ND is a licensed naturopathic doctor and founder of HGHforChildren.com. His clinical focus includes pediatric growth evaluation, short stature assessment, delayed puberty, bone age analysis, growth hormone deficiency screening, IGF-1 interpretation, skeletal maturity assessment, and individualized growth planning for children and adolescents.

Through HGHforChildren.com, Dr. Stone educates families about childhood growth patterns, growth velocity, bone age, growth plate development, height prediction, and treatment options when medically appropriate.

Medical References

1. Perry RJ, Farquharson C, Ahmed SF. The Role of Sex Steroids in Controlling Pubertal Growth. Clinical Endocrinology (Oxford). 2008;68(1):4–15. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2007.02960.x.
Reviews the role of sex steroids in adolescent growth and the importance of estrogen signaling in growth plate maturation and fusion in both sexes.

2. Khosla S, Melton LJ III, Riggs BL. Estrogen and the Male Skeleton. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism and related reviews of estrogen, bone growth, and skeletal maturation.
Clinical and physiologic evidence demonstrates that estrogen plays an essential role in pubertal skeletal maturation and epiphyseal growth plate closure in males as well as females.

3. Satoh M. Bone Age: Assessment Methods and Clinical Applications. Clinical Pediatric Endocrinology. 2015;24(4):143–152. doi:10.1297/cpe.24.143.
Reviews bone-age assessment, skeletal maturity, growth disorders, pubertal development, and clinical use of bone age for evaluating growth potential.

4. Weise M, De-Levi S, Barnes KM, Gafni RI, Abad V, Baron J. Effects of Estrogen on Growth Plate Senescence and Epiphyseal Fusion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences / related growth plate literature.
Describes the biological relationship between estrogen exposure, growth plate senescence, skeletal maturation, and epiphyseal fusion.

5. Collett-Solberg PF, Ambler G, Backeljauw PF, et al. Diagnosis, Genetics, and Therapy of Short Stature in Children: A Growth Hormone Research Society International Perspective. Hormone Research in Paediatrics. 2019;92(1):1–14.
International clinical perspective on childhood growth assessment, short stature, growth velocity, bone age, pubertal development, and evaluation of remaining growth potential.