Being Taller

Tweet Because of the bell curve used to compare height, 90% of the population is somewhere between 5 ft 4 in and 6 ft 2 in. Anyone on either end of that bell curve represents less than about 5% of the population so it’s rare enough to find someone 5ft3 and under or 6ft3 and over… It’s even more unusual that they would find each other, date and fall in love. If one or both of them has any modicum … →

Tweet Ever picked a supermarket shopping cart or as they say in the UK, a trolley, that seemed to have a mind of its own? You want to turn right for fruit and veg, but it wants to head for the bread. One south Wales firm thinks it has devised the solution to every shopper’s struggle with troublesome trolleys. Adjustable to accommodate taller shoppers Symonds Hydroclean, from Rogerstone in Newport, says its adjustable new design is easier to push, particularly … →

Tweet Girth appears to have been more the cause of discrimination and the media dubbed it the ‘fat ordinance’ after several groups promoted a year-long “fat acceptance” campaign. The City & County of San Francisco added ‘height’ and ‘weight’ to the list of protected classes that include providing protection against discrimination on the grounds of race, religion, color, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, place of birth, and gender identity. San Francisco follows Santa Cruz, California and the nation’s capital, … →

Tweet Height loss is a natural part of aging — some people start shrinking slightly as early as 30. Losing too much height too rapidly, however, can signal a high risk for hip fractures, spinal fractures and even heart disease, particularly in men, several recent studies have found. “If you are a female, between the ages of 45 and 65, and you notice you are shrinking, that’s pretty usual,” says Marian Hannan, an epidemiologist at Hebrew Senior Life, an affiliate … →

Tweet Britain’s most successful Olympian 6ft5 Sir Steve Redgrave and UK Sport teamed up with the UK’s Minister for Sport Richard Caborn to launch the “Sporting Giants” project.[/note] Redgrave’s somewhat lofty ambition to prove his theory that “if you’re big enough, you’re good enough” seems to have yeilded many positive results despite its much ridiculed launch in Trafalgar Square. In all, 3,854 applications from taller athletes were received. Strict Requirements It seems all the more amazing considering the Sporting Giants … →

Tweet If you or your kids are first time visitors you may be shocked to discover height minimums required because the park does such a good job of marketing itself as a place appropriate for kids of all ages. Rider Height Requirements at Disneyland Most of the rides at Disneyland are safe to accommodate riders of any height and the following rides have HEIGHT MINIMUMS: Indiana Jones Adventure – 46 inch minimum The Matterhorn Bobsleds – 35 inch minimum Splash … →

Tweet MINNEAPOLIS – Historians have long puzzled over whether Abraham Lincoln might have had a genetic disorder called Marfan syndrome, but new research has members of the beloved president’s family tree wondering if his clumsy gait may actually have been caused by something else. Researchers at the University of Minnesota have discovered a gene mutation in 11 generations of relatives who descended from Lincoln’s grandparents. Neurological Disorder The gene causes spinocerebellar ataxia type 5, a degenerative neurological disorder that affects … →

Tweet Taller women have more of an insulin-like growth factor that has been linked to height and to the rate of twins. Dr. Gary Steinman, an obstetrician at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, compared heights of 125 women who had twins and 24 who had triplets to the average height of U.S. women. Those who birthed two or more children were on average more than an inch taller than average. The study was published in the September 2006 issue of … →

Tweet Stretching should never be painful – Hold stretches in a comfortable position – Don’t bounce, keep your movements fluid. Don’t stretch to the point where breathing is strained Stretch only when muscles are warm Stretch before and after (and even during) an extended period of exercise Concentrate on relaxing the area being stretched Flexibility training should be regular – at least 3 times a week Always breathe whilst stretching. Hold a stretch, then gently increase the stretch once the … →

Tweet This technique was devised by Frederick Matthias Alexander, a Tasmanian actor with a love of Shakespeare, who performed in Sydney and Melbourne at the end of the nineteenth century. It has helped millions of people improve their posture and alleviate pain. Alexander was affected by vocal and breathing problems which meant his voice would quiver and break, or even evade him completely at times, so he set out to find a cure. It took nine years. He watched himself … →

Tweet When picking out an office chair remember these six points: I. Casters & Base Use a chair with casters and a 5-point base to ease movement and minimize possible tipping. Generally, nylon carpet casters are standard, but soft wheel casters are available for hard surfaces such as linoleum. Rubber locking casters are useful on stools to prevent tipping. II. Seat Pan The seat pan is the component of the chair that supports the majority of the user’s weight. It … →

Tweet The muscles in the back are unlike many other muscles in your body— they are almost always in use. They hold your torso in an upright position throughout your day. They assist you every time you pick something up, whether it’s a pen or a concrete block. They support posture while you sit in your chair, and they even work at night when you sleep. Three Natural Curves Your back is composed of three natural curves that form an … →

Tweet Twitter is a great way to keep track of all your favorite tall athletes. A Few Of Our Favorites            

Tweet The NBA has done a brilliant job of marketing basketball around the world over the years as the best sport for the tallest players. They have done such a good job in fact that most people seem to forget that taller athletes often participate in a wide range of sporting activities. Here are a few more sports, beyond basketball, where height offers an advantage. In college and professional basketball the shortest players are usually well above average in height … →

Tweet These results contradict the modern image of American Indians as being sickly victims succumbing to European disease, said Richard Steckel, co-author of the study and professor of economics and anthropology at Ohio State University. “What these height data show is the ingenuity and adaptability of the equestrian Plains tribes in the face of remarkable stress from disease and hardship,” Steckel said. Averages around the world The average adult male Plains Indian stood 172.6 centimeters tall — about 5 feet … →

Tweet While not a fully comprehensive list, we’ve done our best to find the tallest athletes in a variety of sports.          

Tweet MOSCOW — In any boxing club, sweat is part of the ambience, but in Russia, the sweat factor usually scores a one-two punch to the nose right from the doorway, reminding all who enter of what it smells like to be a nastoyashi muzhik, a real Russian man. On the wall of a small neighborhood boxing club in northwest Moscow, there is a huge, grainy photo of Stanislav Stepashkin, the 1964 Olympic featherweight champion who was one of Russia’s … →

Tweet Here are a few of the tallest twins that we’ve found out about. Greatest Height Difference Between Twins Koehler Twins, United States – 29 inches difference. Don Koehler (1925-1981) and his fraternal twin sister were born in Denton, Montana. Born to tall parents (their mom was 5’10″, their dad was 6’2″), Koelher started an abnormal period of growth when he was 10 years old. He was 8ft2 before dying, one of the tallest men to live in the 20th … →