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HistoryThis section has been translated automatically.
In 1935, DePuky was the first to describe that height decreases by 1-2 cm during the course of the day (Brinckmann 2000).
DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.
A decrease in body size refers to the loss of a previously existing body size (Herold 2025).
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ClassificationThis section has been translated automatically.
A distinction is made in the decrease in body size between:
- Decrease during the course of the day (Brinckmann 2000)
- Decrease in advanced age (Godde 2016)
- Decrease due to illness (Herold 2025)
EtiologyThis section has been translated automatically.
- Decrease in height of 1-2 cm over the course of the day due to viscoelastic deformation or fluid release from the intervertebral discs (Brinckmann 2000)
- ageing process with a decrease in height due to changes in the microstructure of the spine, the so-called physiological bone loss of 0.5 - 1% per year (Runge 1999).
- extrinsic factors such as malnutrition, decrease in bone density due to diseases such as osteoporosis (Godde 2016). In the latter case, a decrease in height of > 2.5 cm after the age of 25 is considered an indirect indication of osteoporosis (Guidelines 2023).
ClinicThis section has been translated automatically.
A decrease in body size can lead to fir tree-like skin folds on the back, the so-called "fir tree phenomenon" (Herold 2025
Complication(s)This section has been translated automatically.
- Kyphosis of the thoracic spine with gibbus formation and hunchback (Herold 2025)
LiteratureThis section has been translated automatically.
- Brinckmann P, Frobin W, Leivseth G (2000) Orthopaedic biomechanics. Georg Thieme Publishers Stuttgart / New York 118-119
- Godde B, Voelcker-Rehage C, Olk B (2016) Introduction to gerontopsychology. Ernst Reinhard Verlag Munich 75
- Herold G et al. (2025) Internal medicine. Herold Publishing House 776
- Kasper D L, Fauci A S, Hauser S L, Longo D L, Jameson J L, Loscalzo J et al. (2015) Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. Mc Graw Hill Education
- Guidelines of the Dachverband der Deutschsprachigen Wissenschaftlichen Osteologischen Gesellschaften e.V. (2023) Prophylaxis, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and men over the age of 50. Doi: https://register.awmf.org/assets/guidelines/183-001l_S3_Prophylaxe-Diagnostik-Therapie-der-Osteoporose_2023-11.pdf
- Runge M (1999) Walking disorders, falls, hip fractures. Springer Verlag Berlin / Heidelberg 47
