Basketball is a game that is played between two teams in which points are earned by throwing a big ball through a hoop net fixed on each end of the playing court.
How Scores are Made in Basketball
The teams are usually made of five players, and the main aim of the game is to throw the ball through the hoop net of the opponents as many times as possible. The more the number of times the ball accurately enters the hoop, the higher the points earned by that team. The basketball game involves a lot of jumping, running, and dribbling, and many people associate these activities with an increase in height. Does playing basketball make you taller? The answer to this question remains debatable even though most basketball players are tall.
1. What Research Says About Basketball and Height Increase
Researchers and analysts believe that there is a direct correlation between playing basketball and increasing in height. There are several opinions which support this argument: First, researchers argue that the constant jumping induces repeated electric impulses in the body. These impulses stimulate the pituitary glands in the brain to produce more Human Growth Hormone. Human Growth Hormone(HGH) is responsible for increasing body muscles and promoting growth. Repeated accumulation of HGH in the body leads to an increase in height.
Secondly, analysts believe that constant jumping and running increases the rate of blood flow to crucial body parts such as the spine and legs. Increased blood flow to these organs causes muscles, bones, and organs to grow faster, leading to an increase in height. When this process happens over a long period, a noticeable increase in height is experienced.
2. What Evolution Theory Says
Charles Darwin, who is the father of evolution, said that nature has a way of eliminating weak species and promoting the growth and development of healthy and adaptive species. According to Darwin, most basketball players are tall because many coaches and trainees prefer tall players. Tall players are preferred because they can easily aim their opponents' hoop nets with more accuracy because of their height advantages.
On top of that, more tall players will join the sport because they see other tall players in the basketball game. Eventually, basketball will be full of tall players. Darwin argues in his books that, the more an organ is used during an activity, the more that organ grows and develops.
3. What Medical Opinion Suggests
No verified scientific argument shows a direct connection between height and playing basketball. Height is a genetic trait that cannot be acquired through physical activities. An example that can confirm this is Muggsy Bogues. Muggsy played most basketball games in history, and his height remained 5'3 throughout the games. Science has proven times without number that no physical exercise or drug can increase a person's height, and basketball is no exception. Therefore, the final medical opinion that basketball cannot increase the height of an individual still stands.
Conclusion
The tug-of-war between what researchers believe, what evolution believes, and what doctors believe is a strong one that might take a long time to be reconciled in the future. However, there is no proof of how soon the reconciliation will take place. In a nutshell, the response to 'Does playing basketball make you taller' remains unsettled and debatable.
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