Hilltop - External Tibias - Dr. Amar Sarin - 2011 - Journey to a new beginning

[hilltop]

Hi hilltop

First of all congrats on your new height

I am just wondering how is your callous formation according to your last x-ray? And will you be able to put weight on your legs (standing, walking with walker etc) after second operation?  Thanks a bunch   

Hi
Thanks.

According to the doctor my callus is excellent. Though what's not good is my ballerina in the right foot, which doctor is really concerned about. There's no problem as such in putting weight on my legs. But before I am able to walk, I have to correct my ballerina..I have to do rigorous physioherapy for that...

Hilltop..

[hiht]

Hi
Thank you for your answer, Dr.  Amar Sarin have answered me, I hope I can come to India in may or sooner.  After frame removal, can you walk with cruches ?

[hilltop]

Hi
Thank you for your answer, Dr.  Amar Sarin have answered me, I hope I can come to India in may or sooner.  After frame removal, can you walk with cruches ?

Hey that's great, All the very best for your journey. I removed my frames yesterday and had a lot of pain today. I will wait for 2-3 days till the pain subsides and then I have to exercise for correcting my ballerina which would take a lot of days I suppose and then I can think of walking with crutches..

Hilltop...

[Dookieman]

Hilltop, has the pain finally gone away?

[hilltop]

Hilltop, has the pain finally gone away?

Yes, the pain has almost gone :-)....and i am doing physio therapy in full swing..I don't have knee bending...but I have ballerina..though its not looking that bad now in after just few sessions of physio therapy.........Have started standing for 15-20 mins everyday......Looking to recover soon....:-)..

Hilltop...

[Dookieman]

SWEET!!! I'm happy that things have finally turned the corner for you! Keep us posted buddy! 

[coolguySam]

Hi hilltop, I am planning on booking my consultation and surgery for around end of May.  As I am only 21, I am planning on skipping a semester from my college in order to get this done early.  I have till the end of December to recover so I can get back to Uni.  Do you think that is enough time to recover fully(walking for hours everyday)? my decision to come there largely depends on a successful diary with Dr Sarin.  so please keep us posted buddy! :) I checked with Dr Sarin about the costs and he said it would be $10,000 for the surgery and $1000/month for stay.  I'm gonna take your word on not staying away from the doctor and pay the extra $3000 for 3 months to stay at Dr Sarin's facility.

Also, if anyone from US planning to do this surgery with Dr Sarin this summer, let me know.  I don't want to be the only one from US doing this.  I am planning to lengthen 5. 5 cm in right leg and 6. 1 or 6. 2 cm in my left leg (leg length discrepancy).  I am starting stretching early on to give my self the best chance of speedy recovery.

[hilltop]

Hi hilltop, I am planning on booking my consultation and surgery for around end of May.  As I am only 21, I am planning on skipping a semester from my college in order to get this done early.  I have till the end of December to recover so I can get back to Uni.  Do you think that is enough time to recover fully(walking for hours everyday)? my decision to come there largely depends on a successful diary with Dr Sarin.  so please keep us posted buddy! I checked with Dr Sarin about the costs and he said it would be $10,000 for the surgery and $1000/month for stay.  I'm gonna take your word on not staying away from the doctor and pay the extra $3000 for 3 months to stay at Dr Sarin's facility.

Also, if anyone from US planning to do this surgery with Dr Sarin this summer, let me know.  I don't want to be the only one from US doing this.  I am planning to lengthen 5. 5 cm in right leg and 6. 1 or 6. 2 cm in my left leg (leg length discrepancy).  I am starting stretching early on to give my self the best chance of speedy recovery.

Hi coolguysam

So if you get your surgery done in June, you'll be having around 7 months with you. You'll take around 3 months to lengthen (i'm considering that you lengthen at a moderate pace) and another 3-4 months to walk without support (it could be less, maybe 2 months also).So that's 7 months, so I think its possible. Though its always better to take a month or two extra.

But the only thing I am not sure of is that how much you can actually walk after that. My physiotherapist yesterday told me that even when I start walking , I don't have to walk much, so that has confused me.

I have to personally experience it before I can tell you if you can walk for hours or not.

There are two people from the U.S. who are currently here with me. One of them will leave in a week while you might meet the other one as he might be here till June(depends upon recovery). If there's any other who'l be visiting, I'l let you knw.

Hilltop..

[coolguySam]

Thanks hilltop.  btw, how's the pain after getting the frames removed.

[hilltop]

Thanks hilltop.  btw, how's the pain after getting the frames removed.

There's not much pain now. I am not taking any painkillers. But yesterday during physiotherapy I had some severe nerve pain which is alright now.

Hilltop..

[Arche]

I concur with coolguysam! Keep up your diary, it's really good so far!

[coolguySam]

In addition with the typical precautions and pre-LL preparations such as stretching and exercising, I am planning on doing something more as an experiment to see if it improves risk of ballerina after lengthening.  Please provide your thoughts on this:

About 1 -2 month before LL I will insert some reverse lifts to arch my foot upwards about 1-3 cm.  I will slowly start wearing these shoes for couple of hours everyday.  I feel that it will passively stretch my achilles tendon and calf muscles as I go on about my daily business.  Here's a diagram of what it might look like:


it might be a little uncomfortable but I can deal with it.  I just want to see if it can reduce the risk of ballerina. 

As I said, it is just a little experiment to try something new on top of the active stretching and exercise for pre-LL. 
So please provide any feedback either positive or negative.  doesn't matter, we're all learning.

[coolguySam]

I have no idea how to post pictures.  but yea thats the link

[SpaniardManlet]

i like the idea of reverse lifts, might help preventing ballerina foot

[6ftby2014]

Try buying some Earth shoes. They are made with a reverse lift so to speak. The heel is lower than the ball, to provide proper alignment with the spine.... should really help with all alignment issues.. even B.F.

Latah.

[kneehowguys]

Hey Hilltop

What do you and your doctor think of inserting lifts backwards?

Any other experienced LLer have thoughts on this?

It sounds like the purpose is to passively stretch the calves.

[Dookieman]

Kneehowguys - I've never even thought about doing that. Seems like it would be very uncomfortable on the feet.

[Redemption]

Not sure if reverse lifts would work out well.

I mean when stretching you always need to have the time when you let go and your muscles relax.

Having a constant stretch might be bad for you muscles.

[average6]

On average with LON, how many months after removal of the frames are you able to walk without support?  Is there a rule like for every cm you have to wait for x week?  Also how thick the callous have to be on the x-ray for you to walk without support?

[SysOp]

On average with LON, how many months after removal of the frames are you able to walk without support?  Is there a rule like for every cm you have to wait for x week?  Also how thick the callous have to be on the x-ray for you to walk without support?

In Doctor Sarin's profile in the Recommended Doctors list, he gives the following breakdown of the normal time frame for a 7.5 cm tibia lengthening with LON:

A typical patient doing bilateral tibia lengthening for 7.5 cm will lengthen for 3 months, then have their frames removed and the internal rod secured a few days after lengthening is completed. They will walk on crutches for 8-10 weeks until they have enough bone consolidation to walk without aids. At this point, most patients choose to return home. It takes a minimum of 4 months and in most cases a maximum of 5 months staying in India to achieve 7.5 CM.