Going downstairs after tibia lengthening

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For those that have done tibia lengthening, did you have any problems going downstairs?

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I’m like 9 months in right now i think and removed only the right fixator and still need to remove my left one, walking since like 4 months ago, squatting and pretty much doing everything but walking downstair was the thing that it took the longest to recover, it still feels weird but it’s a life time i don’t go outside, when everything will be back to normal and i will use stairs everyday, is prob going to take just some days to feel natural using them

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Is it the flexibility of the foot? Or what is the biggest thing that you think is preventing you from going downstairs normally?

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Quote from: Wanderlust on March 27, 2020, 12:32:54 PMFor those that have done tibia lengthening, did you have any problems going downstairs?

Did Tibias with Stryde -- not fully consolidated yet.  Can do downstairs, but it's a bit slow and I do so backwards, as this supposedly safer (less pressure).

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Quote from: Wanderlust on March 28, 2020, 02:03:24 AMIs it the flexibility of the foot? Or what is the biggest thing that you think is preventing you from going downstairs normally?

No my flexibility is back to normal since months and i was always able to go downstairs but with a slighty off gait, i can’t tell what is the reason tho

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I see I see, ok thanks Rei.

FormerKidd: how much did you lengthen? And are you able to go downstairs regularly at all? Or you have to go backwards.

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Going downstairs is customarily one of the last abilities to develop after tibia lengthening.  This is so because the hind foot needs maximum dorsiflexion as the lead foot takes the next step.  Dorsiflexion is generally diminished by the surgery.  Consequently, the more you stretch your calf and Achilles tendons, the more you will improve your gait going down stairs.

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Yeah California2 is right, dorsiflexion of the ankle is what will determine going downstairs. I actually found that walking downstairs more often helped stretch my calf/achilles out faster on top of PT

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It never gets all the way better. 

In addition to dorsiflexion like California2 mentioned, it's harder to aim since the foot is farther from the rest of your body now.  To use a basketball analogy, going down stairs becomes a 3-pointer after LL.  Easy to be off and miss the ideal spot on the stair with just a slight error in how you angle the whole leg.

When going down stairs, more of the additional length on a femur LL patient goes forward, but the additional length on an augmented tibia stays more vertical.

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That doesn't sound right Medium. Are you saying very tall people have problems "aiming" their feet on stairs correctly? Michael Jordan would have had this problem?

It could be related to the body healing completely I suppose.