Question
Hello Jenny,
I am a teenage male, and I noticed that when we sit down on a bench for assembly at school, my knees are one or two inches below everyone else's, because my calves are pretty short.  Even kids that are nearly a foot shorter than me have longer calves than me.  Is this normal?  Does it mean I won't grow anymore or something?  I know it is a petty concern, but it has really been bugging me.

Answer
Hi Marc,

If your growth plates have not sealed, you still have room to grow.  Since you are still in your teen years, it is very likely you have several growth spurts left.  I also want to re-assure you that since you say the length is about the same on both sides, it doesn't sound like there is any type of serious problem (like there would be if one calf was growing faster than the other).  Next time you are in for a regular check-up, you might ask your doctor about it, but it doesn't raise any red flags on my end (unless you are having pain or any trouble with using your legs--if you have those, then see the doctor soon).

You may want to take a look at the males in your family and compare their bone structure to yours:  if they have calves that are a little shorter than other people, you may just be genetically designed that way. If they don't, then it may be that in a couple more growth spurts, they will catch up with the rest of your friends.  

Take care!
Jenny