Soft tissues can adapt to longer bones by stretching.
But to shorter bones they can't. They stay overstretched and can't function properly.
Search on google to find articles, I tell you what I know from my reading and my experiences.
It is your duty to search and don't listen to butchers who say that they can shorten your bones 5cm (!) without crippling tou completely.
I found a presentation on Femoral Shortening (by the International Center for Limb Lengthening
Rubin Institute of Advanced Orthopaedics Sinai Hospital, Baltimore, MD) and I got these information:
-Indications: Skeletal maturity,
LLD = 2 to 6 cm-Potential advantages vs leg lengthening:
- Shorter hospitalization
- Faster mobilization
- Decreased risk of joint stiffness
- Faster healing
-Closed Femoral Shortening : Review of Literature
223 patients in 4 studies 1,2,3,5
• Union rate 97.5 – 100%
Most common complications:
• Rotational malunion
• ARDS
• Distraction at osteotomy site
• Delayed union
-Return of Muscle Strength:
“Long-term loss of muscle force should
be expected after a mid-shaft
shortening of the femur of more than
10%” Holm et al 1994
“after two years the quadriceps and
hamstrings had recovered to within
93% and 96% of their preoperative
values respectively, a change that was
not statistically significant”
Case Study 2 is a 20y/o female who shortened 4cm. She doesn't seem to have gotten complications.
This doesn't sound that bad to me. Also concerning muscle strength, it looks quite good if you don't shorten more than 10% of your femur length. 5 cm is just about 10% in my case.
But If you have contradictory studies, please show them to me.
paper:
https://www.google.ch/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwi25O6vh4LZAhWDUhQKHZEAApgQFggnMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fllrs.org%2FPDFs%2FSpecialty%2520Day%2520Presentations%2F3_14_Specialty_Day%2FHerzenberg%2520FINAL.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1A3qOFbG5Jcvr0zeMB-9BH