Increasing height, lengthening legs through surgery

Human growth is mainly due to hereditary factors. Almost 80% of it depends on the genes a person receives from his parents. This means that it is extremely difficult to see a tall child in a family where the father and mother are short and vice versa. But not everything depends on heredity. In many cases, a person himself is able to influence this process. Doctors have developed a number of scientific methods that answer the question of how to become taller. It is not difficult to master them at home.

There are certain factors that can artificially inhibit the growth process. Its natural enemy is drugs, alcohol, and smoking. It is especially dangerous to use them during puberty, which occurs at 13, 14, 15 and 16 years of age.

In addition to bad habits, growth can be affected by an unbalanced or poor diet, which deprives the body of necessary vitamins and other substances useful for growth.

Growth factors: parameters, genetics, gender differences

As you know, there are certain factors that influence future growth. First of all, this is due to heredity. If the parents are tall or, conversely, short, then the child will be the same (there are exceptions). In addition, this indicator is influenced by gender and race. These factors are the main ones and account for 80%. In other cases, somewhere around 15-20% is allocated to the level of nutrition and physical development.

The cause of low growth can be various diseases - kidneys, lungs, hormonal systems and others. Lifestyle also plays an important role. This includes a balanced diet and proper physical activity, which fully reveal genetic data.

The average height for men is 176 cm, and for women - 164 cm. It is believed that people grow up to 25 years old, as a rule, girls up to 19 years old, and boys up to 22 years old. The period of intensive growth and slowdown constantly alternates and differs in boys and girls. If girls actively grow from the age of 10-12 years, then for boys this period is from 13-16 years. With increasing age, the growth rate slows down, and in old age it even decreases. For example, it is known that by the age of 60 people become 2.5 cm shorter, and by 80 years by 5 cm.

During the day, growth constantly fluctuates between 1-2 cm . In the morning this figure is highest, and in the evening it decreases by 1-2 cm.

Possible complications

Since you are trying to independently eliminate your “shortcomings” that nature has endowed you with, you should be prepared for anything. Such interference may have its consequences. Typically, there is a risk that the following violations will occur:

• Bone tissue will lose its regenerative abilities, and healing will take a long time.
• An inflammatory process may break out around the device.
• There is a chance that difficulties will arise related to movement, which is caused by disorders in the knee joint and lower leg. However, this problem is mainly eliminated with the help of gymnastics.

In addition, we should not forget that such an important operation requires rehabilitation. But how successful it will be depends on the patient himself, how much willpower, determination and perseverance he has. After all, after such a procedure, light physical activity and walking are recommended. But in about three months it will be possible to increase the load and go in for sports.

Basic rules to follow to grow up

Just dreams of growing taller are not enough; several rules must be followed.

Balanced diet

The principle of proper nutrition is important for the development of the human body. Nutrients, vitamins and microelements that enter the body with food also affect growth. Therefore, your diet should include foods rich in calcium, for example, as many carrots, apples, chicken eggs, cottage cheese and nuts as possible.

The daily menu must correspond to the age norm in terms of the amount of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Take raw vegetables and fruits at least 3-4 times a day, on average this is about 1.5 kg. Grain crops perfectly stimulate growth, including the consumption of various cereals and black bread.

Calcium is an essential element for the body that strengthens bone tissue. For food to be complete, a person needs to eat meat, fish, milk, and cheese every day. In addition, growth is influenced by vitamins such as A, C, E, and zinc, which are contained in large quantities in tomatoes, peppers, and pumpkin.

What should you give up? Avoid fatty and sweet foods, as they slow down the production of growth hormone. The consumption of chips, crackers, cakes, and carbonated drinks should be reduced and preference should be given to baked, stewed and boiled dishes. Only a balanced diet, which contains fruits, cereals, grains (oats, buckwheat, lentils), will help realize the growth potential inherent in a person genetically.

Healthy sleep

A prerequisite is healthy sleep of at least 7 hours. During this time, the body has time to rest well and gain strength for the next day. Systematic lack of sleep leads to slower growth. At night, there is no light irritation on the retina of the eye, which is why the pineal gland is activated, affecting the pituitary gland's production of growth hormone - somatotropin.

Rejection of bad habits

Drinking alcohol, drugs, and smoking not only have a detrimental effect on the entire body, but also slows down growth . Bad habits provoke the development of diseases. In turn, diseases slow down the development process. Among the common causes of deterioration in height is scoliosis, which is observed in a large percentage of the country's population. An incorrect daily routine is characterized by a sedentary lifestyle and contributes to postural distortion.

Infections, heart disease, and various bone diseases also stunt growth. Diseases of the endocrine system - the thyroid gland and adrenal glands - are especially affected.

Physical exercise

There are special exercises for those who want to grow up .
These include jumping ups, pull-ups, exercises on the horizontal bar, stretching, and splits. Hanging and swinging on the horizontal bar are performed 6-8 times, alternately swinging on the right and left hand. This also includes yoga classes, which have a positive effect on the spine and the development of the whole body. It is important to do the exercises regularly, this is the only way to get good results.

Your possible height

If you want to calculate your possible height, you need to resort to the following scheme:

1. Sum up your mother's and father's heights in centimeters.
2. If you are a boy, then add 13 to the resulting number. Well, if your gender is female, then subtract the same number from the available amount.
3. Divide the result by two.
4. The result will be equal to the growth that you can easily achieve.

Alcohol and drugs greatly affect the normal development of the body for the worse. Food depleted in vitamins and proteins will also not allow the body to fully grow.

How to grow up quickly: radical methods and home remedies

Modern medicine allows young people to grow up if the growth zones are not yet closed. There are ways to grow taller quickly using growth hormone injections. But this method is not suitable for everyone and is prescribed in individual cases under the guidance of a doctor. This is usually associated with abnormal growth retardation and congenital pathologies of the pituitary gland.

Not only hormonal influence is used, but also suggestion and special nutrition . All this affects the pituitary gland and the production of growth hormone - somatotropin. In this way, you can increase your height by 1-2 cm per year. The disadvantage of this method is the risk of developing acromegaly - enlargement of the hands, nose, ears and other parts of the body. In addition, the drugs do not act on humans after puberty (18-20 years).

At the age of 30−50 years and older, only surgical intervention is possible. In this case, they resort to bone stretching surgery, one of which is the Illizarov method. When stress is applied to bone and soft tissue, new cells are formed. Braces with threaded rods are placed on the legs, which are pulled apart four times a day by several millimeters, stimulating the growth of new tissue. As a result of the procedure, it is possible to become 6-7 cm taller. However, the method itself is lengthy, expensive and takes about a year, and the patient will have to move on crutches during the rehabilitation period.

Cosmetic orthopedics

This is the correction of the lower and upper extremities using surgery. The main goal is to increase growth. This direction was formed relatively recently, at the end of the twentieth century, it was then that the first methods of reconstructive surgery for people with deformed limbs were tested.

Despite the extensive experience all over the world in the use of surgical intervention to lengthen long tubular bones, with all the variety of techniques, the main one is the Ilizarov method.

Surgical technique for leg lengthening

Two methods are used to lengthen limbs:

1. Bliskunov - it uses special pins that are fixed from the inside to the bones and tend to lengthen. This method is very expensive, the cost of the operation can reach about 70 thousand euros. Due to the high price of the material, this method is mainly used abroad.

   

2. Ilizarov - is cheaper and more popular. The method is performed using the Ilizarov apparatus; its essence is external fixation using wires passing through the bone.

   

How is leg lengthening surgery performed?

Surgery to change the length of a limb is very painful, expensive and time-consuming, so before starting the operation you should think carefully about whether it is really necessary.

One of the frequently asked questions is, how much can you lengthen your leg? Modern methods of surgical intervention to increase height make it possible to lengthen the thigh up to 10 cm, and the lower leg up to 6 cm

The operation is performed in several stages:

• General anesthesia is administered;
• Then long metal wires are inserted into the leg, they pierce all the way through the bone and come out the other side, a procedure called perforation. The holes from the knitting needles will help to break the bone and achieve the desired result;

  
  Installation of the Ilizarov apparatus for lengthening the tibia.

• Each knitting needle is attached to the tibia or fibula. If the wires are not placed with absolute precision, they may damage tissue or nerves;
• Then a metal frame is installed, which helps to fix the knitting needles and keep all vital tissues intact;
• Next, the operation to fracture the bone takes place within approximately 10 minutes.

After the operation is completed, over the next few months the legs are lengthened using the Ilizarov apparatus; the distance between the bones will gradually increase due to the expansion of the frames in the apparatus. The bones will grow and stretch to fill the gap.

Important! The operation should not be regarded as a simple and easy way to increase height. You must always remember that any surgical intervention can have serious consequences that even a doctor is often unable to predict.

Indications and contraindications

There are absolutely no medical indications for cosmetic orthopedics. All reasons for having surgery are purely individual, the main ones being:

• Curvature of the legs;
• Short stature;
• Desire to reduce waistline by removing ribs.

Surgical intervention is prohibited for those who have the following problems:

• Mental illnesses;
• Disruption of the central nervous system;
• Diabetes;
• Oncological diseases;
• Arthritis;
• Inflammatory processes of the skin.

It is also necessary to be prepared for the possible occurrence of complications after surgery:

• Impairment of the regenerative abilities of bone tissue, which will cause longer wound healing.
• Inflammatory process of tissue around the Ilizarov apparatus.
• Impaired movement of the knee and ankle joint, which makes movement extremely difficult (therapeutic gymnastics helps to get rid of this problem).

How much does the operation cost?

Prices for limb augmentation surgery depend on the technique used and the segment of bone that needs to be enlarged - femur or tibia, and how much the length of this bone will be changed. The table shows the average price in Russia.

Prices in different clinics may or may not include the cost of preliminary diagnostics, the Ilizarov apparatus, hospital stay and rehabilitation.

Rehabilitation

Recovery after such a complex operation requires a certain set of exercises, which must be performed regularly, and then it will undoubtedly be beneficial.

Most often, the cost of limb lengthening services includes a set of rehabilitation measures that help restore normal functioning of the leg. However, there are situations in which, after hospitalization in the clinic, the patient is sent home and then recovers on his own.

During the rehabilitation period, swimming, light physical activity, and walking are recommended for a speedy recovery. After 2-3 months, you can begin heavier loads and sports.

Important! The success of rehabilitation depends only on the patient himself. It must be remembered that recovery from such major operations requires time and patience.

Ways to grow quickly at home

You can grow taller naturally by eliminating postural defects, scoliosis and stimulating hormonal levels. All this is achieved through balanced nutrition, exercise and proper daily routine. This path is not easy and long and, of course, is possible if the growth zones have not yet been closed . Having a great desire, it is quite possible to achieve your goal.

1. The first rule concerns food. You should definitely have breakfast. The morning meal menu should include porridge with milk, whole grain bread, and natural juices. For lunch, protein and plant foods are suitable. For example, nutritious soups that activate metabolism and vegetable salads. Cabbage, greens, legumes, rhubarb, and onions will be useful. Fruits: oranges, bananas, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries. It is better to have dinner with dairy products - cottage cheese, kefir, cheese. A cocktail made from milk and eggs is very effective. Method of preparation: for a serving of 2 glasses of milk, take one fresh chicken egg, beat the mass with a blender and drink.
2. Full sleep. You should set aside a certain amount of time for sleep. The most useful period for sleep is considered to be from 11 pm to 2 am. It is at this time that somatotropin is produced.
3. Physical exercise. Short stature may be the cause of hormonal imbalances, which can be changed through exercise. There are different methods, for example, the growth method of V. A. Lonsky:
   the system involves warming up for ten minutes and running, after which exercises are performed for 25 minutes. Basically these are swinging your legs, bending in different directions, moving your arms in a circle. Much attention is paid to stretching the legs, it is advisable to do the splits. Exercises are repeated 10 times;
4. The next step is to practice on the horizontal bar. It is necessary to hang on the crossbar 4 times, 2 of them with a load of no more than 10 kg for 30 seconds each approach. Then hang head down, securing your legs with special straps, and so on 4 times for 20 seconds. In one approach, press a load of no more than 5 kg to your chest;
5. High jumping is a mandatory exercise. 15 minutes are allotted for execution: 12 jumps on the right leg, then on the left leg, and finally 12 jumps on both legs. Thus, perform 3 approaches. You need to jump as high as possible. Gym-goers should avoid barbell exercises, especially those that involve squatting;
6. Team games such as basketball and volleyball are another way to exercise, with a minimum of 30 minutes allowed. In addition, at least four times a week, preferably in the evening, you need to perform stretching exercises. For stretching, use a rubber belt: tie one end to your legs and the other under your arms, then pull to the side. Perform the action for 10-15 minutes;
7. swimming. It not only has a beneficial effect on the lungs and heart, but also on the entire muscle group, including the spine.

How to increase a person's height visually?

An entire section of our website is dedicated to this topic. Here I want to recall some basic points.

Very often people forget about posture. But learning to control your posture is the first thing a person needs to do if he wants to appear taller. Slouched shoulders and a lowered head are reduced by several centimeters at once. It is very useful to walk around the room with a book on top of your head, remembering how to hold your head, back and body. Squaring your shoulders and straight back will not only make you taller, but will also relieve excess tension from your muscles and prevent them from quickly fatigue. In addition, good posture creates conditions for the normal functioning of internal organs. What else will help you look taller?

• Hairstyle.
  A bouffant or high hairstyle will help you visually gain a few extra centimeters of growth. It can be a ponytail gathered at the top of the head, a “shell” or a high bun. A man can also lift his hair and secure it with hairspray.
• Cloth.
  If you ask any stylist whether it is possible to increase height with the help of clothes, you will be surprised how many different techniques there are for this. Vertical stripes, patterns, stripes, rows of buttons running along the body, freely flowing scarves, long beads, V-shaped necklines, and so on visually elongate the silhouette. You should not divide the body into parts with transverse lines or color contrasts. It is also better not to wear cropped trousers, as well as low-waisted clothes.
• Shoes.
  To visually increase height, you can use special shoe insoles. You can buy them, or you can make them yourself. Such insoles can make you taller by 2–4 cm or more. There are also special shoes on sale that already have built-in insoles for growth. All this sometimes comes in very handy and adds confidence. As for women, they are well aware of how they can increase their height and add elegance to their image. It is enough to wear high-heeled shoes. The higher it is, the better. But it is important not to forget that too high heels increase the load on the feet and spine.

By paying enough attention to your appearance, always keeping your back straight and choosing your wardrobe wisely, you will give the necessary presentability to your image.

Is it possible to grow 10 cm in a year?

Perhaps this question is the most popular among young people. This is especially true for the male half, because for men short stature is a serious problem that leads to the formation of an inferiority complex.

Until the process of puberty is completed, and, therefore, the growth zones have not yet closed, the probability of increasing body length is very high. During this period, guys should intensively engage in physical training - stretching, hanging on the horizontal bar, swimming, jumping.

This applies to absolutely all teenagers who want to grow taller. The exception is strength training, which has the opposite effect. Any vertical load using barbells or dumbbells significantly inhibits the increase in body length.

Do not forget that the predisposition to growing up in most cases depends on genetic inclinations. However, eight out of ten people are not physically developed enough to realize their body's full potential. You can open up completely if you normalize your diet and physical activity.

Food, as mentioned above, should be enriched with calcium and phosphorus, contain meat and eggs, since these are proteins necessary to maintain the body. Green and herbal teas made from St. John's wort, nettle, mint, birch and rowan will be useful.

Watch your posture and walk straight, as an elongated body always looks taller and adds 5-7 cm to your length. If the spine is not developed enough, special exercises will help correct the situation. By fulfilling all the conditions, it is quite possible to grow by 5 and 10 cm in a year.

What to do to grow bigger in a month?

If you don’t consider radical methods, you can grow up in a month by following simple rules:

• exercise regularly;
• eat properly, according to the norm and age;
• to refuse from bad habits;
• normalize sleep and daytime wakefulness;
• take vitamin and mineral complexes.

Indications for surgery to increase height (lengthen legs)

Making the decision to undergo surgery to increase height is a serious step, so we insist on a preliminary consultation with a doctor. It is important that there are indications for the operation.

If you belong to the following categories, we are waiting for you for a consultation at the Ladisten Clinic:

Who should make an appointment?

• Those who want to improve proportions.
• Men and women who want to increase their height.
• Patients with congenital disproportion of the leg and thigh.
• A shortened limb due to injury or illness.
• Diagnosis of achondroplasia (dwarfism).

Sets of exercises for stretching the body

Let's consider a set of exercises . To a greater extent, these exercises are suitable for men.

1. Vis. For training you will need a horizontal bar. Hang on the bar and relax your body. Rotate your torso from side to side. You determine the number of such approaches yourself. In total, hang for 3-4 minutes. Then increase the load by adding weight.
2. Jumps. Alternately perform jumps on one and two legs. As you jump, extend your arms up as if trying to throw a ball into a hoop.
3. Leg pull-up. While lying on your back, lift your left and then your right leg to form a right angle. Throw your legs behind your head and try to touch your toes to the floor. The second stage of the exercise is performed from a lying position on your stomach. The arms and legs are extended as much as possible to form an arch. Then lower your hands, resting on the floor, arch your back and stretch your legs.

It is important to devote at least 30 minutes a day to training. In addition to standard jumps, pull-ups and hangs, there are developed exercise techniques.

Here is a list of well-known techniques that allow you to stretch in height:

• method of V. A. Lonsky. Allows you to increase your height by several centimeters by spending 1 hour exercising in the morning and evening. Basketball and volleyball games, swimming in the pool are practiced;
• A.I. Berg's technique. The author of the method, A. Berg, claims that growth can be increased even at 30 years old, you just need to awaken the necessary reserves. This also includes auto-training. Classes are performed in the morning and before bedtime;
• healing technique of M. Norbekov. The system includes exercises to improve posture, increase cartilage tissue between the vertebrae, and stimulate the elongation of leg bones. Using the technique, according to the author, you can become 2-10 cm taller.

By understanding the main factors that increase growth, as well as the detrimental effects that lead to its delay, good results can be achieved. Of course, people don’t grow up in a week, don’t believe such myths. This process is labor-intensive and will require time to practice. By adhering to proper nutrition, limiting bad habits and engaging in physical activity, not only this indicator improves, but also your health in general.

Preparation

Although preparation for the operation is simple, it still requires attention and time. You will need to take a biochemical blood and urine test, have an x-ray and ultrasound examination of the lower extremities, and also consult with a cardiologist, orthopedist, anesthesiologist and surgeon.

A week before surgery, it is advisable to stop smoking and drinking alcohol, as they inhibit bone tissue regeneration. You should also be prepared to not be able to eat or drink on the day of surgery.

Surgery using the Ilizarov apparatus

• In order to lengthen the leg by at least 2 cm, it may take about two months of distraction (if there are no complications)

• The operation takes place under general or epidural anesthesia.
• On the third day after the operation, the patient stands on crutches.
• Distraction (lengthening) begins a week later.

A few words about the actual leg lengthening using the Ilizarov apparatus:

• You can lengthen either the lower leg (maximum 7 cm) or the thigh (up to 9 – 10 cm).
• More often, tibia lengthening is practiced using the Ilizarov apparatus (femur lengthening is recommended to be carried out using the Bliskunov method).
• The limb is lengthened by 0.075 - 0.1 cm per day, i.e. from 0.75 to 1 mm: per day, the nuts on the Ilizarov apparatus need to be tightened four times.

Questions about growth. Top 5.

In conclusion, let's look at questions often asked by those who want to become taller.

1. Can a person grow after the growth plates are closed?

Maybe if the growth zones can be awakened in some way. It is known that constant mechanical stress on bones causes them to grow to adapt to external conditions. For some professional massage therapists who constantly work with their fingers, the bones in their hands lengthen over time. For basketball and volleyball players, the leading arm is often longer than the non-dominant arm. Fighters who kick a lot have longer legs even as adults. Logically, nature provides for lengthening and thickening of the limbs at any age, if there is a vital need for this.

2. How does bodybuilding affect growth?

Positive with a reasonable approach to training.

3. Do body proportions change as height increases through exercise?

The human body has the ability to maintain the proportions inherent in it.

4. If the desired result has already been achieved, do you need to train further so as not to lose the gains?

Usually, when building up more than 5 cm, the resulting growth is preserved and stays with you. If you managed to grow by 1–2 cm, then this achievement may be temporary, and it is better to continue training.

5. How does sleep affect growth?

Prolonged, sound sleep is a very important condition for the natural growth of the body. It is during sleep that the main amount of the hormone somatotropin is produced. If a person is constantly lacking sleep, then even regular exercise to increase height will not help him much.

Just because you're short doesn't mean you'll live with it your whole life. You can always use the method that suits you, taking into account the above recommendations on lifestyle, style and nutrition. Perseverance, patience and faith in success will sooner or later lead you to your desired goal.

I really hope that this material was useful to you and that you have fewer questions about whether and how you can increase your height. Good luck!

Best regards, Vadim Dmitriev

Osteosynthesis and osteotomy

All lengthening operations are based on osteosynthesis - the properties of bone cells to divide.

For the impressionable, of course, it’s better not to see this.

The operation is performed using the method of osteotomy - leg fracture

And then the osteosynthesis itself will begin - the long process of bone healing (after a fracture) with all the accompanying:

• scarring, adhesions, incomplete fusion;
• muscle contractures;
• postoperative pain;
• long-lasting wounds on the skin, etc.

To find out what people typically experience during this time, talk to those who have had tragic experiences with trauma.