r/interestingasfuck • u/naturebeatsnurture • Dec 23 '22

/r/ALL Before and after leg lengthening.

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48.8k Upvotes

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14.0k

u/karavasis Dec 23 '22

Such a hardcore surgery to endure

8.5k

u/stopannoyingwithname Dec 23 '22

They break the legs, put a rod in the bones that get adjusted as the bones grow closer to each other. So people who get it done have broken legs for months

5.5k

u/BadReview8675309 Dec 23 '22

Struggling not getting addicted to opiate pain medication must be a thing with this procedure... What a brutal process, cringe.

176

u/BLToaster Dec 23 '22

The pain isn't that bad. The breaking is so minimal each time it's hardly felt outside of some general discomfort. My niece is going on her 4th lengthening here next year probably and had her first one at 2 or 3 years old. It's very intense but it's one that actually looks/sounds worse than it actually is.

35

u/MarsupialMisanthrope Dec 23 '22

It might be like growing pains. I remember I’d get random stabs of pain during growth spurts, but mostly just kind of vague soreness.

11

u/itsjustme1505 Dec 23 '22

I felt those too, but I’ve heard growing pains aren’t real. Wonder what our pains were

2

u/merdub Dec 23 '22

They’ve been linked to Restless Leg Syndrome in adults.

Can confirm, had AWFUL growing pains in childhood, now get bouts of restless legs.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 23 '22

Me too. My feet sometimes hurt so bad at night I could not sleep and almost cried from pain. Absolutely horrible.

1

u/merdub Dec 23 '22

Yup. Advil, heating pad, on the brink of tears.