If you’ve been searching for information on how to gain height, or are considering having surgery to get taller, you may have heard some of the many success stories from people who’ve had height or limb lengthening operations. These procedures were first developed in the 1950s by Gavril Illizarov, a Russian surgeon who was seeking a way to help patients with limb deformities. He created a surgical process called distraction ontogenesis, where an incision is made in a patient’s leg or thigh bone. Utilizing a gentle pressure, over a period of a few weeks new bone and tissues will form. Through this method, the bones can be elongated by up to 3 inches (or possibly more in certain cases).
Surgery to Correct Bone Deformities
It’s relatively common for people to suffer from having uneven limbs where one leg is shorter than the other. This unbalance can be caused by a birth defect, disease, or an injury. If the difference in length is severe enough, it can result in long-term conditions like chronic back pain or arthritis caused by the incorrect alignment. In some cases, the difference in limbs is enough that the person is unable to walk normally, and having limb lengthening surgery can have a life-changing effect for the patient.
Surgery to Get Taller
Some patients choose to have this operation done for either cosmetic or lifestyle functionality reasons. In many cultures, being of short stature is considered a negative trait and can limit the person’s career or personal life. Other people may look into how to gain height because they’re not comfortable with their current stature and gaining 3-4 inches can have a significant impact on their self-confidence. Additionally, people of very short stature may have difficulty or be unable to perform ordinary tasks such as driving or reaching on top of tall furniture.
Achondroplastic dwarfs are considered to be ideal candidates for height lengthening surgery. This is because of some of the intrinsic principles of their anatomy that allow their bones and tissues to be increased beyond the typically normal level of elongation. In these cases, it might be possible to lengthen legs by up to 12 inches and arms by up to 5 inches.
Details on the Surgery and Recovery
Height lengthening surgery has improved significantly in recent years, and now there are a variety of techniques in current use. While the initial incision into the bone remains the same, there are both internal, external, or dual devices available which will elongate the bones at a rate of about 1mm per day. The final result is determined by an individual’s anatomy, and typically result in up to a 3” increase.
The procedure itself is considered minimally invasive and usually involves only a 1 or 2 night stay in the hospital. During the lengthening and recovery period, patients can walk independently with crutches. The final resulting bone growth is permanent, natural, and as durable as any other natural bone in the patient’s body.