Life After Lengthening

In August 2010, I had orthopedic surgery to correct my lower limb deformities (bowed legs), which are very common with achondroplasia. I straightened and lengthened my legs. It was months of twists and turns – literally! + a little blood, sweat, and tears.

I have been very open with my experience since the very beginning. Limb lengthening is a taboo topic in the dwarfism community, and at the time of my first surgery, information on the procedure was outdated, and no one with dwarfism had shared their experience since the 90s.

Following my first lengthening, I underwent two more lengthenings. In 2012, I lengthened my arms (humerus). In 2013, I lengthened my legs again, this time with a new, modern, and less invasive method of treatment where a telescoping rod is inserted into the bone. I gained over 14 inches in height from my first surgery to my last. Starting at age 16, I was at my adult height of 3’10”, and today I am 4’11.”

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