HEIGHTMOG
Male vs. Female · Bone-by-Bone

Growth Plate Closure Age by Sex

Females' growth plates fuse approximately 2–3 years earlier than males' across virtually every bone. The tables below detail closure age ranges for every major bone region, sourced from the Greulich-Pyle atlas and Flecker (1942).

Females
~15–17

Typical age for femur/tibia (height-critical) plate closure. Final height reached within 2 years of menarche for most females.

Males
~17–19

Typical age for femur/tibia (height-critical) plate closure. Most males have minimal height growth remaining by age 20.

Detailed Closure Ages by Bone Region

All ranges represent the typical 10th–90th percentile window. Individual variation of ±2–3 years exists. Sources: Greulich-Pyle (1959) and Flecker (1942). ★ = height-contributing bone.

Hand & Wrist

First to fuse. Used for bone-age X-ray because closure sequence is well-mapped.

BoneFemaleMale
Distal phalanges (fingertips)12–1414–16
Middle phalanges13–1515–17
Proximal phalanges13–1515–17
Metacarpals13–1515–17
Distal radius / ulna14–1616–18

Arm

Upper arm bones fuse after the forearm.

BoneFemaleMale
Olecranon (elbow)14–1616–18
Distal humerus13–1515–17
Proximal humerus (shoulder)15–1717–19

Foot & Ankle

Similar timing to hand. Earlier fusion than long bones.

BoneFemaleMale
Metatarsals & phalanges12–1514–17
Distal fibula14–1616–18
Distal tibia14–1616–18

Knee & Leg (Height-Critical)

Femur and tibia are the primary height-determining bones. ★ marks height-critical.

BoneFemaleMale
Distal femur ★15–1717–19
Proximal tibia ★15–1717–19
Proximal fibula14–1616–18
Proximal femur (hip)15–1717–19

Spine

Vertebral ring apophyses are the last height-contributing plates. Small contribution to trunk height.

BoneFemaleMale
Vertebral ring apophyses ★17–1919–22

Clavicle (Collarbone)

Last plate to fuse in both sexes. Does not contribute to standing height.

BoneFemaleMale
Medial clavicle (sternoclavicular)22–2522–25

Why Do Males and Females Close at Different Ages?

The primary driver is estrogen. Growth plate closure is triggered when estrogen levels reach a threshold that causes chondrocyte (cartilage cell) senescence — the cells stop dividing and begin calcifying. Females reach this estrogen threshold earlier and at higher levels than males (Cutler, 1997).

In males, androgens (testosterone) must be converted to estrogen by the enzyme aromatase before they can act on growth plates. This conversion introduces a delay. The evidence is dramatic: males with congenital aromatase deficiency — who cannot convert testosterone to estrogen — continue growing well into their 20s and can reach extraordinary heights before eventually receiving estrogen therapy (Carani et al., 1997, NEJM).

The practical consequence: males have more total growth time, which combined with a higher peak growth velocity (~10 cm/yr vs. ~8–9 cm/yr in females), produces the average male-female height difference of approximately 13 cm (Tanner & Davies, 1985).

Peak Height Velocity: Males vs. Females

Females
  • PHV onset: ~age 11–12
  • Peak rate: ~8–9 cm/year
  • Growth decelerates: rapidly after menarche
  • Most growth done by: ~16
Males
  • PHV onset: ~age 13–14
  • Peak rate: ~9–10 cm/year
  • Growth decelerates: ~2 years after PHV
  • Most growth done by: ~18–19

PHV = peak height velocity. Source: Tanner & Davies (1985).

When to see a doctor

If puberty signs appear before age 8 in girls or 9 in boys (precocious puberty), or if either sex has not started puberty by age 13 (girls) or 14 (boys), a pediatric endocrinologist evaluation is appropriate. Early or delayed puberty shifts the entire closure timeline and can affect final height if not managed. These tables represent typical population ranges, not diagnoses.

Related Pages

Growth Plates HubWhen Do Growth Plates Close?How to Tell If Yours Are ClosedWhat Age Do Growth Plates Close?Growth Plate Status QuizHeight Predictor

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do females' growth plates close earlier than males'?

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Estrogen is the primary hormonal signal for epiphyseal plate closure. Females produce estrogen in larger quantities beginning earlier in puberty, so the closure signal arrives sooner. Males require testosterone to be converted to estrogen via aromatase before it can act on growth plates — a slower process that delays closure by 2–3 years on average.

Do males always grow taller than females because their plates stay open longer?

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Longer plate duration is a significant contributing factor to the average ~13 cm (5 inch) male-female height difference. Males also experience a higher peak height velocity (about 10 cm/yr vs. 8–9 cm/yr for females) and their pre-pubertal linear growth phase is longer. Both factors — growth rate and duration — combine to produce the typical male height advantage.

At what age are most females done growing?

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Most females complete significant height growth between ages 15–17. The majority reach final height within 2 years of their first menstrual period (menarche). A small amount of vertebral growth may continue until 17–19. By age 18, over 95% of females have fused their height-critical growth plates.

At what age are most males done growing?

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Most males reach final height between ages 17–21. The height-critical bones (femur and tibia) typically fuse between 17–19. Vertebral growth may add a very small amount of trunk height until the early 20s. By age 21, the vast majority of males have completed growth plate fusion in all height-relevant bones.

Can males still grow at 20?

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A small percentage of males (those who entered puberty late) may still have open or nearly-closing long-bone plates at age 20. Vertebral ring apophyses, which contribute to trunk height, can continue maturing until 21–22 in some males. However, any growth at this age is minimal — typically under 1 cm/year — and most 20-year-old males are at or very near their final height.