Want your child to grow taller, learn to swim or play basketball?

Summer is the time for parents to register their children for long-term sports courses. In which, the need to develop height is always the top priority.

Basketball has always been considered an effective sport for height development - Photo: TN

Swimming and basketball, which one wins?

Swimming and basketball are always the two most popular sports in the summer, and are also considered very effective in increasing height.

Many parents are wondering whether to choose swimming or basketball classes for their children. They can refer to the following advice from sports scientists .

According to WHO, optimal height development during childhood and adolescence depends on many factors: genetics (60–80%), nutrition, sleep, hormones, and physical activity.

Among them, physical activities – especially sports that stimulate the musculoskeletal system – play an important role in activating growth hormone (GH). In addition, factors such as gravity, bone impact, spinal extension and motor system development should also be considered, from a positive perspective in height development.

With swimming, the impact of gravity does not exist because it is completely in the water environment. In return, swimming is very good in terms of activating growth hormones and stretching the spine, while having a moderate impact on the bones and musculoskeletal system.

Swimming is suitable for children from an early age - Photo: AD

Meanwhile, basketball is highly rated by the Swiss Sports Institute in all 5 of the above factors. Thanks to the continuous jumping movements and controlled collisions, basketball has a positive effect on the impact of gravity, increases bone density, and is especially good in terms of spinal extension and GH stimulation.

Not only that, the special movements of basketball also help develop the upper body and lower limbs.

Research from Harvard University shows that children who play basketball 3 times a week or more have 26% higher levels of growth hormone GH than the group that only does light exercise.

And another study in China, with a survey of more than 1,200 students, in 2021 showed that the group that played basketball 4 times/week had an average height increase of 6.1cm/year, higher than the swimming group (4.5cm) and the group that only did light exercise (3.7cm).

Dr. Jennifer Lee, a pediatric endocrinologist (USA), concluded: "Sports such as basketball, jumping rope, badminton... have a clear advantage over swimming in increasing height due to the ability to activate pituitary growth through collision and jumping mechanisms."

Obviously, if the goal is only to increase height, basketball will be prioritized. But that does not mean swimming is ignored.

Divide by stage

Expert Jennifer Lee believes that parents should divide height development into many stages.

At the age of 3-5, playing basketball is almost impossible for young children and carries many risks.

At this age, the child's body is still perfecting its neuro-motor foundation and is not yet suitable for high-intensity jumping sports. Therefore, activities should be fun, gentle and stimulate interest in movement.

Basketball is especially suitable for children over 10 years old - Photo: TN

Swimming is a great choice because it helps children develop coordination and increase heart and lung endurance without putting pressure on soft joints or bones.

Starting at age 6, children enter a period of steady growth and can become familiar with more formal sports. Swimming continues to play a very good foundation role because it supports muscle stretching, enhances breathing and promotes the development of spinal length.

From about 10 years old onwards, growth hormone (GH) and sex hormones are produced strongly when children exercise properly.

Basketball is an ideal sport because it requires lots of jumping, sprinting, pivoting, and landing, all of which stimulate bone growth plates.

At the age of 14-17, basketball continues to be effective in maintaining growth hormone levels, supporting the development of bone and muscle density. On the other hand, swimming at this stage should be kept for relaxation and recovery purposes, rather than stimulating height.

HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/muon-tre-tang-chieu-cao-hoc-boi-hay-bong-ro-20250602125229886.htm