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[Wanderlust]

For those that have done tibia lengthening, did you have any problems going downstairs?

[Rei]

I’m like 9 months in right now i think and removed only the right fixator and still need to remove my left one, walking since like 4 months ago, squatting and pretty much doing everything but walking downstair was the thing that it took the longest to recover, it still feels weird but it’s a life time i don’t go outside, when everything will be back to normal and i will use stairs everyday, is prob going to take just some days to feel natural using them

[Wanderlust]

Is it the flexibility of the foot? Or what is the biggest thing that you think is preventing you from going downstairs normally?

[FormerKidd]

For those that have done tibia lengthening, did you have any problems going downstairs?

Did Tibias with Stryde -- not fully consolidated yet.  Can do downstairs, but it's a bit slow and I do so backwards, as this supposedly safer (less pressure).

[Rei]

Is it the flexibility of the foot? Or what is the biggest thing that you think is preventing you from going downstairs normally?

No my flexibility is back to normal since months and i was always able to go downstairs but with a slighty off gait, i can’t tell what is the reason tho

[Wanderlust]

I see I see, ok thanks Rei.

FormerKidd: how much did you lengthen? And are you able to go downstairs regularly at all? Or you have to go backwards.

[California2]

Going downstairs is customarily one of the last abilities to develop after tibia lengthening.  This is so because the hind foot needs maximum dorsiflexion as the lead foot takes the next step.  Dorsiflexion is generally diminished by the surgery.  Consequently, the more you stretch your calf and Achilles tendons, the more you will improve your gait going down stairs.

[cyborg4life]

Yeah California2 is right, dorsiflexion of the ankle is what will determine going downstairs. I actually found that walking downstairs more often helped stretch my calf/achilles out faster on top of PT

[Medium Drink Of Water]

It never gets all the way better. 

In addition to dorsiflexion like California2 mentioned, it's harder to aim since the foot is farther from the rest of your body now.  To use a basketball analogy, going down stairs becomes a 3-pointer after LL.  Easy to be off and miss the ideal spot on the stair with just a slight error in how you angle the whole leg.

When going down stairs, more of the additional length on a femur LL patient goes forward, but the additional length on an augmented tibia stays more vertical.

[limewalk]

That doesn't sound right Medium. Are you saying very tall people have problems "aiming" their feet on stairs correctly? Michael Jordan would have had this problem?

It could be related to the body healing completely I suppose.

[Zamii]

That doesn't sound right Medium. Are you saying very tall people have problems "aiming" their feet on stairs correctly? Michael Jordan would have had this problem?

It could be related to the body healing completely I suppose.

Its all about biomechanics.

[Medium Drink Of Water]

That doesn't sound right Medium. Are you saying very tall people have problems "aiming" their feet on stairs correctly? Michael Jordan would have had this problem?

They have more of a problem than short people do.  The farther you have to reach, the harder it is to aim, after all.  A shorter guy with the same physical gifts as MJ would be better than him at dealing with obstacles around his feet.  Lots of falling and ankle rolling/spraining happens in the NBA.

Also, naturally tall people have the advantage of their entire body being bigger and being able to get used to it as they grew throughout childhood, rather than just the tibias getting stretched out later in life as a tibial LL patient does.

[Wanderlust]

Great discussion, thanks a lot everyone. I can see why going downstairs is one of the last hurdles for tibia lengthening.

For those that had done tibia first and then femur (if anyone here), after conquering going downstairs w/ tibia lengthening, was it easier/harder to do after femur lengthening? Or does lengthening the femur have no / less impact on going downstairs.