Leg lengthening surgery gone wrong.

SO GET YOUR LEGS BROKEN AND LENGTHENED IN A TOTES MEDIEVAL PROCEDURE IS THE OBVIOUS SOLUTION😀

One of my Dc has had bone lengthening for a congenital condition which left him with one leg much shorter than the other.

This can cause lifelong issues with spine, internal organs etc as well as mobility problems.

The bone is cut right through. In the traditional current method pins go through the bone either side of the cut. Attached to metal rings that go round the outside of the leg.

Every day, whichever the method, the gap between the bone ends is forced apart by about 1mm for new bone to go across the gap. Weeks of this. And every day the tendons, ligaments and muscles are being forced to lengthen too. Months and months of, in effect, having permanent muscle pain.

Bones, muscles, tendons, skin… it is way beyond surgery like breast enlargement etc.

The new bone takes time to harden, so more plaster / crutches once the actual lengthening is done. It takes about 9 months, and then months of physio.

Once you have had to listen to your 18 yo boy crying in pain time and time again the inconvenience of standard clothing might seem less significant.

It makes me feel ill to think of people doing this for cosmetic reasons or people bullying over height to the extent that anyone would consider it.

I’m the same height as her and I only think about it when I’m buying trousers or coats/suiting. I would assume at her level she could easily afford a good tailor, so that’s an issue us normies face that she could mitigate easily. Now she just has long thighs that she’ll have to dress to offset, rather than her height.

She may well have been bullied for her height whilst at ML, but if she was generally disliked/envied and there was a culture of “banter”, they would have always found something to pick on her about.

Between all that and then messing with her screws and not doing rehab etc I have very limited sympathy.

Isn’t it so people in the window seats can see how far away the drinks trolley is?

I'm 5ft and don't mind too much but nothing in the world fits me. Not just clothes but bags (e.g. backpacks are all wrong) car seats, seat belts, mirrors are all too high, so are hand dryers, I have to buy kids glasses due to tiny head, bang my elbows on stuff all the time etc. Imagine being the size of an 11 year old for life 😆 so I understand wanting to be taller. Having said that, longer legs doesn't help with much of that, so I wouldn't bother personally.

No it’s never quite the same. I have a friend of a friend who had hip surgery and when they reattached it the foot was facing the wrong way.

I reckon you’d walk in circles.

@CactusMactus a pilot, I was thinking of specifically (you’d think if they can get a plane in the air they could make one with adjustable seats 🤔🤪)

I know for safety cabin crew as well, I’m sure there are others too

I’m 5 foot 3 and I’ve never considered myself short! I’ve also seen a family member go through surgery for a broken leg and it’s never quite be the same, I can’t imagine choosing to do something so much more drastic

A few more inches indeed, easily achieved with heels.
If she'd suddenly become 5'6 at least, it may have been worth it

im 5’. I’ve never been bullied about my height. At school I was bullied but not over that. I would love to be taller . As others have said even petite clothes are usually too long in the length, sleeves, shoulders too wide etc. But undergoing such agonising surgery for a few more inches she must have been in a dreadful state of mind over it.

Not for several months at least.

Having your femurs broken and stretched was never going to be a walk in the park was it!

That's one AMA we haven't seen yet!

I had my legs lengthened, AMA!

To be taller because it bothers them the same as women get boob jobs or lipo or facelifts

yeh, that's a good point, your balance would be challenged. You know in pilates class, when you do certain moves off balance, with one foot on the ball for example, it really challenges your balance. I have wobbled about. It'd be like learning to walk again (I imagine).

I am short of arse and this is what puts me off - aside from the cost, the agonising pain and risk of permanent disability, of course.

Surely you'd look terribly unbalanced with Amazonian legs (well, compartively) and a wee torso and comically short arms? How would you reach your shoes to tie your laces when you bend over?

I'm 4'10 and if surgery to make you taller didn't sound so horrific, lengthy - pardon the pun - and likely to go wrong , I'd definitely consider saving up for it

...although I'd be over the moon to be 5' anything! 😄

.

What confuses me is that it lengthens the thigh bone- surely if your thighs suddenly get 4 inches longer you’re going to have disproportionate legs and weirdly low knees? It must feel so weird to walk and balance

@Cattenberg (whispers) yes, I have found Bon Marche. Funnily enough I was talking to someone last week who almost hissed that they had on Bon Marche leggings…

im 5 foot rarely fin trousers that fit

woulnt go that far

Those who struggle to find trousers the right length, have you tried Next or (whisper it) Bon Marche? I’m just under 5ft and tend to have the best luck there.

My daughter was the smallest child in the school for the first three years she was there. When she left primary school she was just about the same height as most of the children going into key stage two. However, once she had her growth spurt in puberty, she grew to her adult height of 5’1” - still shorter than average but not outstandingly so. She is petite, in proportion and takes size 2 shoes, which is more of a problem when looking for adult style shoes. It never entered our heads at any point that growth surgery might be an idea and would have considered it quite unnecessary. A woman of 5’2” is only very slightly shorter than average. Any problems she had were nothing to do with her height and the surgeon should never have agreed to the operation in the first place. Counselling would have been a much better idea.

5’2 is short but I can’t imagine it being short enough to want to consider surgery.