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[wannabeaverage]

Background

I once had a minor leg fracture and needed to stay home for 2 months. I got comfortable and hardly went out for one more month after that. Then even though I was "recovered" physically, going out felt like a SHOCK. I used to freak out sometimes if I went too far from home or didn't have some water with me when I felt thirsty. Somehow I would freak out over SMALL sensations like my throat drying up or my legs aching slightly or feeling a little disoriented for a moment. Some may call them panic attacks. This took me a while to recover from and feel confident that I can safely go out and rely on my body as "healthy".

Note that my mental troubles were all anxiety associated. I was deemed fit for all activity as early as 2 months after my fracture but had prolonged anxiety in spite of it.

Question

With femur LL, even with Stryde, have any patients experienced what I described? After acceptable physical recovery, did you have to go from constantly paying attention to that fact that your legs were operated upon to completely not thinking about it?

Many people report walking long distances soon after LL, but how much of that distance away from home? if you're walking circles around your house, then it doesn't demonstrate mental courage to have full faith in your legs and body.

Please share your experiences

[readyprecisestryde]

It feels like a rollercoaster. Somedays I walk good and days that I am limping because of soft tissues are recovering and adjusting to my new height 3.15 inches taller. I can now see light at the end of the tunnel. I am walking 85% normal and have less muscle discomforts. I still have minor nerve pain but It has improved. I walk around 4 miles daily, go to the gym, meet up with friends and do not hide inside the house.  Leg lengthening doctors downplay the recovery, complications and challenges of this surgery. I am psychologically happy that I went forward with it. Soft tissue pain/discomfort and anxiety does not stop at the end of the lengthening. I did femurs using Stryde nail.

[SpeedDialer]

Hm... if you could do it again, would you have stopped at 7cm to reduce the pain?

I am not so sure, I see these diary posts of guys being so happy they made 8 cm. And then I hear doctors recommending a 7cm limit for femurs

[Highest]

Hm... if you could do it again, would you have stopped at 7cm to reduce the pain?

I am not so sure, I see these diary posts of guys being so happy they made 8 cm. And then I hear doctors recommending a 7cm limit for femurs

Dr Paley specifically designed Styde to only go to 8cm because he knew if it went to greater than that people would just do the maximum amount and over 8cm is where a ton of complications come into play. Even 8cm is probably pushing it and in a few years time we'll see the "safe limit" drop to between 6-7cm on femurs like we saw the "safe limit" drop to 5cm on tibias when it used to be 6.5cm.

[readyprecisestryde]

I was following my doctors advice and he gave me the green light to move forward to 80mm. I had great range of motion, and I was flexible at the end of the lengthening process. My only complications were numbness on the left tibia/minor nerve pain and some tightness. I am happy that I maxed out the nail and I do understand that my recovery is going to take longer.