Question
Does a protruding patella indicate that bone growth and development have matured? Does it mean that height will no longer increase?
Answer
A protruding patella is not a sign to determine whether height can continue to increase. Signs of bone maturation include a protruding Adam’s apple in males, a deep voice, a higher-pitched voice in females, and the development of secondary sexual characteristics. Height growth primarily depends on the epiphyseal growth at the ends of long bones, not the patella. Once the epiphyses close, height stops increasing. To determine if you can still grow taller, an X-ray of the joints near the wrist, for example, can be taken to observe whether the epiphyses have closed. As long as the epiphyses have not closed, there is still a possibility of growing taller.