ff. Let’s break down what’s typical and what deserves extra attention with rheumatologist  Abby Abelson, MD, FACR . Why do we shrink as we age? Your body naturally transforms over time, with your bones, muscles and joints all experiencing changes. Some of those fluctuations may cost you a bit of height. Here are a few ways that may happen. Bone density loss Age-related bone density loss can weaken bones and reduce their ability to support your body weight. In your spine, this can cause the vertebrae to slowly thin and develop tiny cracks called compression fractures. When your vertebrae lose height, your whole spinal column becomes shorter. The result? You’re not quite as tall, explains Dr. Abelson. A significant loss of height as you age can be a sign of osteoporosis , which puts you at greater risk for unexpected fractures. These breaks often affect the hips, wrists and spine, and can have serious, long-term health effects. Disk compression in your spine Spinal disks are cushion-like structures between the vertebrae in your spine that tend to wear down over time. As they flatten and thin out, the space they take up between your vertebrae becomes smaller. Advertisement Because your spine is made of many vertebrae and disks stacked on top of each other, a small loss in each disk can add up to a noticeable reduction in overall height. Weakening muscles Losing a little strength won’t directly reduce your skeletal height, notes Dr. Abelson. But weaker muscles can make you appear shorter by affecting your posture and spinal support. For example: Weak back and core muscles can lead to a more stooped posture. Reduced muscle support around the spine can make age-related spinal curvature more noticeable. Muscle weakness may worsen balance and movement patterns, which can change how upright a person stands. In older adults, muscle loss often occurs along with disk compression and osteoporosis — so the combined effect can make height loss even more noticeable. Flattening of f