Weightlifting may increase height?

Thickening of the knee joint cartilage in elite weightlifters as a potential adaptation mechanism.

"Thickening and increase of area of cartilage have been proposed as two alternative mechanisms of cartilage functional adaptation. The latter has been reported in endurance sportsmen. In weightlifters, extreme strain applied to the articular surfaces can result in other forms of adaptation. The aim of this research is to determine whether cartilage thickness is greater in elite weightlifters than in physically inactive men. Weightlifters (13) and 20 controls [age and body mass index (BMI) matched] underwent knee Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). A single sagittal slice of the knee was taken and cartilage thickness was measured in five and six regions of the medial and lateral femoral condyles, respectively. The analyzed segments represented weight-bearing and nonweight-bearing regions. The tibia cartilage in the weight-bearing area was also measured. The time of training onset and its duration in the weightlifter group were recorded. The cartilage was found to be significantly thicker in weightlifters in most of the analyzed regions. The distribution of cartilage thickness on the medial and lateral femoral condyles was similar in both groups. The duration of training was not associated with cartilage thickness, but the time of training onset correlated inversely with cartilage thickness. It is possible that in high-strain sports, joint cartilage can undergo functional adaptation by thickening. Thus, mechanical loading history could exert a postnatal influence on cartilage morphology."

The Weightlifters were members of the Polish weightlifting team.

"Method of selection measurement points for cartilage thickness evaluation on medial (A and B) and lateral (C and D) femoral condyles. Cartilage thickness was measured perpendicularly from the point of crossing of the subchondral bone surface with the line determining particular angle."

"The weightlifters had a mean age of 26.1 years and a mean BMI of 29.1. They did not differ significantly from the control group. The mean cartilage thickness in all analyzed regions of both condyles was greater in weightlifters than in the controls(athletes vs. control—lateral condyle: 2.9, SD = 1.1 vs. 2.1, SD = 0.9, P = 0.0000; medial condyle: 2.9, SD = 0.9 vs. 2.1, SD = 0.8, P = 0.0000)."

The lowest age tested was 19 years old.  The average height height of the weightlifters was lower than control.

"knee cartilage morphology of seven elite weightlifters with men who had never performed strength training and observed that cartilage thickness was not significantly greater in the group of athletes, except for a 14% thicker patella cartilage. Those results are even more surprising because all athletes had been actively training throughout adolescence, and they displayed 30% higher extensor mean cross sectional areas than the nonathletic volunteers. "

"ecrease in cartilage thickness of 30 ± 10% in the femoral trochlea after 3.5 h of static loading with 150% body weight. However, only about 4–7% of the final deformation is reached during the first minute of loading."

It seems that cartilage thickness does not affect height.