Introduction, 169cm 29y/o, Looking for 8-10cm gain, would love your opinion!

Hi everyone,


I'm super new here, and I'm so grateful for what I've seen on this forum. Yes, I've seen some toxicity, sure, but I've also gained knowledge that no therapist would have EVER told me (example: "You weren't actually annoying or unbearable during your formative years, you were just short!"). I could go on, but the summary is thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Much love to you all. An incredible weight has been lifted off my shoulders.


Now, for background and advice:


Height: 169 cm / 5'6.5
Age:29
Race: White
Weight: 89kg/190lb (not fat, just pretty muscular build-- background in strength sports)
Goal: 177-179 cm / 5'9.7 - 5'10.5
Financial Situation: Very good career (years of toiling away compensating for height paid off! lol), so can afford absolute top tier procedures.
Timeline: Do surgery 1-1.5 years from now.
Proportions: 32 waist, 30 (maybe 31?) inseam. Wingspan seems average, fingertips hit exact mid thigh. Tibia vs femur unknown.
Procedure Considering: Dr. Pailey quad option (3 week break in between tibia and femur)

I am considering doing the quad option with Dr Pailey to go for an 8 cm minimum. I am completely fine with losing athleticism and explosiveness. However, I am nervous about going all in for Femur lengthening 8cm because I love lifting weights, and I am scared that someday an over lengthened femur might result in soft tissue blow out. To be clear, my passion for lifting weights is less about absolute power/strength and more about bodybuilding / physique. Not trying to go pro, just really enjoy looking good. It would just break my heart if I could not do something like a squat or a lunge ever again and was stuck with noodle legs.


As for my current condition, my flexibility is a bit tight. I never ever stretch, but I can still touch my toes. So I am assuming that with a year of legitimate stretch prep, I could be flexible enough for the procedure.


What are your thoughts?


Thank you so much!

If you’re only going for 8cm, then you should just do 8cm on femurs. Quadrilateral surgery is really for those who want to do 10-14 cm total.

Fwiw, there was one LL patient who did 11cm on femurs and got pretty huge after recovering. Looks like a pro bodybuilder. So I would assume you’ll be able to lift afterwards

8 cm would be absolute bare minimum. Ideally I'd hit 10cm if I could, which is what Pailey's quad (not re-breaking) option strives for I think.

11 cm on femurs? That's nuts! I thought 8cm for femurs was the "safe" max-out?

Doing more than 8 cm is risking your long term health for minimum unnoticeable gain, which only idiotic surgeons allow and idiotic patients wants to do...

DanishViking, do you mean going beyond 8cm on femur or do you mean going beyond 8 cm in total?

Because I heard that lots of people are unable to even go beyond 6cm on femur these days...

Edit: typo. "beyond cm" -> "beyond 8 cm"

Going beyond 8cm on just femurs is unsafe. I didn’t mention the patient who did 11cm on femurs to suggest you should do that. I bring it up just as an example of someone who did an extreme amount on femurs and is seemingly able to lift / do squats with no issue. So if you stick to the safe limit of 8, you’ll be fine.

for my part I hesitate between 4.5 and 7 cm. which will make me either 6'1 (an ideal height) or 6'2 a large and comfortable size for the next generation. However, the proportions and the anxiety of losing my athletic abilities push me to be 4.5 cm.

I would literally sacrifice goats to the old gods to be 5'11, that is like the dream height to me lol.

but yeah to me there is no difference between 6'1 and 6'2. Someone who is 6'1 is already in the tall club in my book. So i vote go 6'1.

You should avoid squatting more than body weight after doing femur lengthening afaik