Short Stature

Table of Contents

Athletes with short stature have reduced length in the bones of the arms, legs and/or trunk.

Pronounced shawt sta·chuh.

What is short stature?

Short stature is a term used for people whose height is considerably below average compared to the height of their peers, generally defined as an adult height of 147cm or less.

There are two main types of short stature:

People with disproportionate short stature have some parts of the body, such as the arms and legs, that are smaller than average, but other parts that are typical size. Children with disproportionate short stature often have short hands and fingers and may have some problems with bones and joints such as pain or increased movement/flexibility.

People with proportionate short stature have short stature and with typical body proportions.

Secondary Characteristics

Children with short stature may experience hearing loss because the tubes in the ear are narrow and can get blocked. More Information about athletes who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Causes of short stature

There are over 100 conditions which cause reduced bone growth.

Safety

Some people with short stature may be at risk of injury when competing in some athletics events.

Centre Executive Committee or Centre Competition Manager should discuss with the athlete and parent that they need to gather safety information for their child prior to competing in running and jumping events. They can discuss with their GP or allied health professional any possible risks or concerns related to neck stability and spine stability prior to completing running or jumping events. Relevant information should then be shared with the Centre to reduce any risk of injury.

Athletes can participate in throwing events.

Benefits of athletics

Health

Children with short stature commonly experience pain which can be helped with regular exercise. If athletes indicate that an activity causes pain, listen to them and talk to parent/s.

Terms to use and terms to avoid

Terms to use	Terms to avoid
Person of short stature	Midget
Some people may identify with the term dwarf	Dwarf (if not a preferred term)

Sources

Short Statured People of Australia - https://sspa.org.au/

Health Direct - https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/dwarfism

Members Associations

Memberships

Partners

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