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[Wannabegiant]

Okey so this question will might be relevant to all who intend to lengthen or at least finish lengthening at home, away from the surgeon that lengthened your legs.

Since measuring standing height is unreliable because of height fluctuation during the day, how would one reliably measure the height you have actually gained if you are not able to ask your doctor/surgeon? Also number of turns and days isnt reliable because of pinbending.

I know you need x-rays, so i guess what im really asking is if you could go and get an x-ray and measure the gap by yourself?

Might sound like a stupid question but i dont really know what these x-rays look like and what scale they are in etc. Is it easy to measure it? or should I be able to ask a local orthopedic about how to measure it? I think they should be able to help me with this even though they didnt perform the surgery.

[Medium Drink Of Water]

Your local orthopedic surgeon would be able to measure the gap for you.  Or you can just do your turns and then catch up / even up when you go back to see your LL surgeon.  I wouldn't try measuring anything as a layperson.

[Wannabegiant]

Your local orthopedic surgeon would be able to measure the gap for you.  Or you can just do your turns and then catch up / even up when you go back to see your LL surgeon.  I wouldn't try measuring anything as a layperson.

Okey thanks, that makes sense, when i talked to Dr. Bagirov on email, he gave me the option of staying the 5-6 days after surgery, and then fly home and lengthen, then come back to his clinic after 2 months for a check up. I think I need to stay a bit longer to see how my body reacts to the lengthening though, and to minimize the risk of premature consoldiation, but im not sure yet..

Also I would rather prefer to not have to go back to russia again, but i guess it might be necessary..

[Smallguy]

Unless, you have access to a really high-tech machine that can scan your bone measurement accurately to the millimeters, there are no perfect way of measuring your lengthening gain. It's all a rough estimate. If I can minimize both of my legs discrepancy down to less than 5mm, then I would be happy.

You will have to

1. Count how much you have turned. Create an excel spreadsheet on your laptop/ipad and record the number of turns you have made on a daily basis.

2. Measure your entire tibia currently. Measure your entire tibia now, say 24 inches. And keep taking measurement on a weekly basis to see how much you have gained.

3. Mark two points on your tibias. Say your foot to your knee. Measure that and compare it with your gain.

This is what I would do if I were to doctor myself. But I think your doctor will be best to provide you with that answer through x-rays or scanner. But you should check what he says to what you measure to make sure it makes sense.

[ChrisIsaak]

If you have x-rays taken, you have to know the scale (calibration) of the x-rays. If you have a benchmark (a value that you already know, like the diameter of the nail) you can use a ruler to compare it to the distraction gap, and predict an approximate amount. For knowing the exact amount of lengthening however, you need Tomography.

[Wannabegiant]

These are all good suggestions and tips, I will make a excel spreadsheet to keep count on how many times ive turned etc. However measuring my tibia now is probably to late, unless i can grab some kind of ruler here before my surgery tomorrow. And even if i measure it, it will be difficult to be accurate.

Well maybe the best option is to take x-rays when I think i should be done (after counting turns and days etc) and send them to the doctor and ask him to measure it, unless the local doctor is able to do it.

[Franz]

To accurately measure, you need to take standardized xrays according to a standard protocol with a calibration marker and then measure them digitally with a proper software package. This is the most accurate way short of ct scanning.
Clinical measurement is useful but difficult to standardize.

[Sweden]

Maybe you could just go to the ER and tell them what you've done and then they have to help you.
They can't leave you with the frames on your legs just like that.

This is going to be very interesting to follow.

[Wannabegiant]

Maybe you could just go to the ER and tell them what you've done and then they have to help you.
They can't leave you with the frames on your legs just like that.

This is going to be very interesting to follow.

Yeah im pretty sure youre right. This kind of surgery is done in Sweden after all, although not for cosmetic reasons. Considering this, i think they should be able to measure my gap as well, since they usually deal with leg length discrepancies, so they would have to be able to measure small increases and differences in length of the legs.

[Sweden]

Yeah im pretty sure youre right. This kind of surgery is done in Sweden after all, although not for cosmetic reasons. Considering this, i think they should be able to measure my gap as well, since they usually deal with leg length discrepancies, so they would have to be able to measure small increases and differences in length of the legs.

They can measure it, no problems.

In Sweden we use a pre programmed Taylor Spatual device that lengthens the bone depending on how much resistance there is. Pretty awesome device in carbon fiber.

There is no need to be ashamed, like I was! Just get yourself in there and tell them you need their help. Tell them I said hello 

[Wannabegiant]

They can measure it, no problems.

In Sweden we use a pre programmed Taylor Spatual device that lengthens the bone depending on how much resistance there is. Pretty awesome device in carbon fiber.

There is no need to be ashamed, like I was! Just get yourself in there and tell them you need their help. Tell them I said hello 

Awesome, that is certainly good to hear. Makes me much more comfortable about going home and lengthen. Im mostly worried about complications in the beginning, because from what I have heard, it seems like complications are most likely to occur either in the beginning or at the later stages if you lengthen a big ammount.

Since im lengthening quite a small ammount, I think i only need to worry about the beginning.

[mediocre]

Think positive from hereon.

It's better if you stay there for distraction.

[Wannabegiant]

Think positive from hereon.

It's better if you stay there for distraction.

Yeah it would obviously be the safest alternative, but i dont think it is possible considering the visa problem i have. Also i dont know if I can handle being here for 8 weeks