Welcome back CAPTAIN,
we are very excited to have you back.
Every week we have amazing news in this forum 
Looking forward to hearing about you recovery. and we hope its been a success.
@The View
I haven't used night splints as of yet but I have a pair coming to me now that I expect will aid in resolving the remaining ballerina foot I have.
Being highly critical of proportions I would always advocate lengthening any single segment 5cm instead of 10cm. A 5cm increase of length of either lower body segment is unlikely to create any noticeable disproportion between segments. Lengthening any single segment 10cm will unquestionably result in a segment with an unnaturally long final length and produce very obvious disproportion.
It's neither better nor worse to do more or less in regard to femur lengthening, it is solely dependent on an individual's pre-op proportions. I personally would recommend lengthening both segments equally to maintain one's natural proportions. However, from anecdotal evidence it does seem that femurs do heal faster than tibiae and may accommodate additional lengthening more readily.
@Sweden & Tall
Brief summary of my recovery thus far:
Frames were removed early August.
Returned home mid-September
Consulted with a local Orthopedic surgeon and began once a week PT early October.
Cleared to weight-bear and walk with crutches early November.
To clarify, I was confined to a wheelchair/office chair until early November, as in no weight bearing of any kind. This was per the orders of the Ortho whom is overseeing my recovery.
As of now I am able to walk unaided, roughly 2 months after being cleared to weight-bear after being non-weight-bearing since my initial surgery in mid-April. With tennis shoes on I can walk pretty much normally and with little to no discomfort. After some time my legs and ankles do become sore and stay that way for the better part of a day. I make every effort to walk barefoot or with shoes having a flat heel when I must wear them.
When I wake up or when I have been seated for while it is difficult to take the first few steps when I stand up to walk again. My calves become tight and my ankles ache due to the pressure imposed upon them until my calves loosen up after a few steps. I keep a cane handy to assist me in the morning and when standing after having been seated for a while.
The progress is slow but it is definitely present. I do not despair one bit about my stage of recovery at this point. After having been non-weight-bearing and developing equinus contracture for more than 6 months I am elated to even be able to walk pseudo-normally at this point. Equinus contracture is not a condition to take lightly nor one to expect to resolve quickly. My heels do seem to be able to touch the ground after walking for much of the day, although it would be a stretch to claim that I have any degree of positive dorsiflexion or that the pressure exerted through the ball of my foot is equal to that through my heel.
I am able to easily climb stairs without aid and can descend stairs through concerted effort while using the handrail. My left foot/ankle is still slightly rotated internally and is moderately painful when I first stand on it after sitting for a while or upon waking. Otherwise my left leg feels fine. My right calf feels to be slightly tighter than my right making it more difficult to get my right heel down and causing more pressure in my right ankle. Both callus sites are thick and strong, although they do become slightly sore after an active day.
I see my Ortho in a month, at which time we will talk about my left ankle further, discuss the necessity of a gastrocnemius recession surgery (calf release), and further discuss hardware removal when the time comes to do so.
Hey I'm happy that you're back, I thought you were gone for sure. I just have a couple of questions that I hope you would be kind enough to answer:
1) How much did you finally end up lengthening?
2) Do you feel your equinas contracture was a result of poor physical therapy during your lengthening regime, or because of surgical faults?
3) What was it like having your diary deleted on old forum while still at the guest house? Did you fear for your safety?
4) If you would go back, would you go to Dr. Sarin again?
5) What advice would you give to individuals regarding choosing a doctor, lengthening, PT, etc?
Thanks! You're the man!
Also, are you able to move your toes properly? Do you suffer from knee pain of any kind? Recently, on this forum, there was a big discussion about how the insertion of an intramedullary rod in the tibiae can lead to permanent knee pain for some individuals. I was wondering if this applied to you or any other Dr. Sarin patients that you have known.
One question only: Was it worth it?
@Arche
1) I am waiting until my calf contracture has completely resolved to make any official measurements. My Ortho says from his rough measurements I gained ~6.5cm. For what it's worth, my father is 5'9" and I'm as tall if not slightly taller than he.
2) I feel very little can be done to minimize EC when lengthening in a manner that does not allow weight bearing beyond a prophylactic release of the calf muscle connective tissue or rigid fixation of the heel/foot in a neutral position throughout the lengthening process.
3) I did not mind and never once feared for my safety.
4) I would not recommend limb lengthening in India at this time.
5) There is a wealth of information as well as misinformation on the subject of LL on the internet. Anyone interested in undergoing such a procedure should be prudent and rational in their approach to gathering information and understanding the nature of this type of surgery. A decision should only be made after consulting with a licensed and preferably board certified orthopedic surgeon possessing specific training and experience in the field of limb lengthening and reconstruction. I hope to expound upon life after LL including PT and recovery in the future.
@Tall
I have never had any issues with the motor function of my toes or the remainder of my lower extremities. I had some pain in my right knee when I first began my recovery but that has long since resolved. I have not read any conclusive information attributing knee pain to the presence, insertion, or removal of an IM nail.
@Slim_tim
Yes.
How's your walking?
Hey Cap,
Welcome back! And congratulation on your remarkable achievement. You have defy the odds, save a bunch of money, and changed your life. I'm very happy that things also turn out nicely for you.
I was doing some jogging yesterday. Made 7 laps at my school. But when I looked into my shadow, I looked like an idiot running (Sweden was right). Is there any chance that we can run normally again? Like the cool run?
Haha! I am sure your running didn't look too bad. I think most shadows look kinda funny when a person is running.
How far was the 7 laps? How fast were you able to run?
Hi Captain,
Thanks for these thorough responses. I was wondering if you think that it is possible to fully recover from moderate to severe equines (ballerina foot), after lengthening, without a release surgery of some sort.
Thanks,
Tall
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