Hi LL community,
I had the surgery done in August with Dr M out in Los Angeles, California. I stopped lengthening at 7.7cm due to the many complications I have faced with the precice 2.2 nail. I was wondering if any of you guys could speak to your experiences with some of the challenges I am facing?
1. I am unable to straighten my legs out and have a 30 degree extension contracture in my left leg and a 20 degree contracture in my right leg. I’m getting mixed feelings from my PT’s and Dr. m himself. My PT’s say I should be back to normal once I finish lengthening, but I need to work on stretching more. Told me there’s a possibility of being stuck this way. DR. M didn’t act phased at all and told me not to worry about it. His bigger concern was that my ROM is very poor. It seems like I can’t bend my legs further than 60-70 degrees on each leg.
I reached 90 degrees around 6cm, but my leg muscles and calves have become remarkably tight since I have lengthened to 7cm+. My initial goal was 8cm, but I had to stop just shy at 7.7cm because of the pain I am in. Dr. M asked me if my PT’s were even doing there jobs, but their understanding has been that as I’m lengthening that it’s hard to improve ROM and important to maintain.
Can a LL veteran help shed some light? Will it loosen up once I start my consolidation phase? I’m very nervous as I don’t want to be stuck like this.
Leg extension contractures, poor ROM 3 months Precice 2.2 - Help?
I have heard the experience varies for everyone, I have a friend who did it with no issues at all from start to finish. I have another friend who has serious pain from start to finish. I was more in the middle, as my biggest battle was nausea ne vomiting up to two months in to the surgery. Now I’m trying to figure out if I’m going to have to get my tendons released via surgery after I finish consolidation.
This surgery isn’t for the faint of heart but 3 months is a small price to pay for the rest of your life
Confirming that I am a bilateral femur patient that is 3 months post op. Went to Dr. mahboubian in LA, and just finished the distraction phase. My calves are very tight, feet are extremely swollen with edema’s, and my range of motion is very bad. I can not straighten my legs all the way, nor can I bend them very far.
Dr. M is worried about both - he asked me to stop lengthening because of how poor my range of motion has become both on extension and flexion.
I got to 90 degrees for a short period of time but I am looking at about 60-70 at the moment o I will focus on further stretching. I am commuting from another city in Southern California and my PT is located in the town I stay in.
Dr.M has encouraged stretching, and I do stretch about 3x per day.I don’t think Dr. m sucks, maybe it’s just how I have approached my recovery. My PT seems to be pretty worry free claiming that I haven’t been like this very long and that he can fix it.
I will take your advice to heart and really focus on the stretching aspect moving in to consolidation.
Thank you
Hey Allinstryde,
I wanted to thank you for responding to this. I have stopped lengthening at 7.8cm and am about almost a month in to consolidation. I am getting my range of motion back very slowly, and my leg extension is improving day over day. It’s been a long journey, and I have a follow
Up appointment with Dr. M next week.
The one thing I am experiencing is remarkably bad nerve pain in my tibias and feet. I will continue to stretch, and yes my hand strings are super tight and they burn every day. My other major problem is I can’t bend past 90 degrees. My PT claims it’s the first time he’s worked with a leg lengthening patient. We’ve been doing some strenuous exercises and stretches.
Thanks for the encouraging words!!!
I stopped lengthening at 7.8cm and am in consolidation. The last 10 cm were torture, but it appears to be different for everyone. Keep the faith and take it 1 day at a time!
You’re right, I meant 10mm 
Honestly, I am almost at 4 months on this surgery, and everybody’s experience varies. It sounds like you’re coming out of this surgery and lengthening a lot better than me. I’m glad to hear that because I wouldn’t wish the stuff I went through on anyone.
Hope your lengthening is going well as we move in to the holidays; you’re almost there!!
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