Tight hamstrings

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Hey

I’m considering femur lengthening.  My problem is that I have incredibly tight hamstrings.  I’ve never been able to touch my toes.  If I tried the tips of my fingers would be 6 inches from my toes. The surgeon I saw in consultation (a reputable one in the US) didn’t seem too concerned.  I want to get the maximum possible lengthening. Just having difficulty imagining how that can be possible with such tight hamstrings. 

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Why wouldn't you be able to enjoy reasonable lengthening so long as you understand your fingertips would still be 6" from your toes?

Obviously, you would need to be vigilant and regularly stretch your calves and hamstrings.  Are you willing to do the work?  If so, why not start now and see what improvement you can make before the surgery. 

If you are not willing to make some real improvement now, maybe you should not consider the surgery?

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Quote from: jayes on February 22, 2019, 01:10:57 PMHey

I’m considering femur lengthening.  My problem is that I have incredibly tight hamstrings.  I’ve never been able to touch my toes.  If I tried the tips of my fingers would be 6 inches from my toes. The surgeon I saw in consultation (a reputable one in the US) didn’t seem too concerned.  I want to get the maximum possible lengthening. Just having difficulty imagining how that can be possible with such tight hamstrings.

Hi Jayes,

I was about the same as you prior to surgery. I was a good 5 inches or so off the ground. I was the guy that always skipped leg day, never jogged or ran anywhere, and was sitting for most of my day.  I barely even walked a lot.  Well, I'm 50 days into my CLL process and I'm already 1.5 inches taller and I'm going to reach ATLEAST 2 inches and probably more.

  I stretched my hamstrings for about 3 to 4 months beforehand and I was able to touch my toes before the surgery date.  I recommend  starting your stretches bout 3 to 4 months at least, before surgery.  Stretch your hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors and glutes particularly.    Do this daily twice a day for 2 sets each exercise and hold for 30 seconds each. 

Also, do some leg strengthening as well.  The key here is to just activate those muscles that you haven't been using much and begin useing those muscles regularly up until the date of CLL surgery.   The challenge with CLL is that after surgery, your muscles tighten and atrophy quite a bit; and you'll want those muscles to remember who they were used in the past. :-)   

Let me know if you have more questions.   

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Hey InFullStryde!

Thanks for your response.  I'm glad to see someone with similar flexibility issues not having that limit their lengthening.  I wouldn't want to go through all of this (money and time) only to be told I can only get 1 or 2 inches.  I'm also in my mid thirties so I'm not sure how much extra stretch I can get out of my hamstrings at this stage.  It's good to know that over 3-4 months you were able to get fully stretched.  I'm gonna get on that.  Unlike you I didn't skip any leg days.   Just never stretched. Lol

BTW, I notice that you said you're aiming for a minimum 3.5 inches.  The surgeon I saw said the max I could aim for was 8 cm (3.1 inches) with the PRECICE 2 device. Who are you with?  I saw Paley.  Also do you mind sharing your pre-CLL height?

Cheers
Jay

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Quote from: jayes on February 25, 2019, 12:13:42 AMHey InFullStryde!

Thanks for your response.  I'm glad to see someone with similar flexibility issues not having that limit their lengthening.  I wouldn't want to go through all of this (money and time) only to be told I can only get 1 or 2 inches.  I'm also in my mid thirties so I'm not sure how much extra stretch I can get out of my hamstrings at this stage.  It's good to know that over 3-4 months you were able to get fully stretched.  I'm gonna get on that.  Unlike you I didn't skip any leg days.   Just never stretched. Lol

BTW, I notice that you said you're aiming for a minimum 3.5 inches.  The surgeon I saw said the max I could aim for was 8 cm (3.1 inches) with the PRECICE 2 device. Who are you with?  I saw Paley.  Also do you mind sharing your pre-CLL height?

Cheers
Jay

Hi Jay! I'm online, so hopefully you get this reply quickly.  I'm currently CLL'ing so I'm always on my computer these days. LOL.    My minimum hope would be 2 inches. I'm about 11 days from this number.  My grand hope would be 2 1/2 inches and my dream hope would be 3.15 inches which is the maximum that the Styde nail allows.  I want to get as close to 5'4" as possible. 

My Doctor is Dr. Mahboubian of North Hollywood, California.   I am 37 years old and my starting height is 5'1.25".  With tight hamstrings, all that happens is that at about 3.5+ cm range, your knee starts to slightly bend since the hamstrings are pulling them.   With physical therapy, the bending is resolved pretty quick after the lengthening stops.   You have nothing to fear with the tight hamstrings.  Start stretching now so that your recovery goes a bit easier for you.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

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Thanks InFullStryde!!  That's awesome to hear of your gains.  Any regrets?  Were the first couple of weeks absolutely brutal? Is it much better now?

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hey dude you have to do an intense work of stretches.
with a predetermined program of stretches you can improve this in up to 3 months, that is lack of mobility.
We end up causing this by the fact that when we can not make the movement, we do not repeat it and not even insist much on it, simply by limiting itself in that movement, which aggravates this mobility more and more.
in my case, I'm 28 years old and I say to you until I'm 27 I've never been able to stretch my hamstrings a lot, and I decided to try to improve it because it hurt my squats too, so in 3 months of correct and intense stretches I can already touch the ground, hands reached just below the knee.

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Hey 6'2_dream, Thanks for your post.  It's good to hear from other people that this isn't a big deal and to prepare ahead of time.  When I bar bell squat I put small plates under my heels to take a bit off the hamstrings.  It's time to stretch.

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Quote from: jayes on February 28, 2019, 02:51:50 AMHey 6'2_dream, Thanks for your post.  It's good to hear from other people that this isn't a big deal and to prepare ahead of time.  When I bar bell squat I put small plates under my heels to take a bit off the hamstrings.  It's time to stretch.

Good luck Jayes! Strech, every day...for those hamstrings and quads.

Also, try to do some strengthening exercises for the glutes, hips.   You don't need to build bulging muscles in these areas; but it will be SO helpful for you post surgery, if you had been regularly activating these muscles a few months prior.   

Good luck! Did you decide for the surgery yet and if so, when do you think you might go in?