Dr. Axel Becker is a specialist in leg lengthening, a specialist in plastic, aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, a specialist in orthopedics and trauma surgery and carries out cosmetic leg lengthenings in his special clinic in Freiburg. For this purpose – only here – a minimally invasive leg lengthening method BETZBONE®, developed by him and unique in the world, is used.

How does leg lengthening in the thigh area or lower leg area work? Everyone who is interested in leg lengthening at the BECKER BETZ INSTITUTE in Freiburg im Breisgau wants to know exactly how such an operation and the days afterwards work. What can I expect as a leg lengthening patient? What is the day of the operation like and what are the days afterwards like? Am I in pain? Can I still get up on the day of the leg lengthening? How mobile will I be after leg lengthening surgery?  Patients rightly ask about all of these things.

The leg lengthening checkpoints from Dr. med. A. Becker gives patients overview and security. Read here how the days after leg lengthening go.

Checkpoint Operation – Day 1, Operation Day

Surgery: Dr. med. A. Becker personally carries out every leg lengthening operation. All patients are operated exclusively by a world-renowned specialist using the latest methods and innovative techniques.

The operation in the thigh area, for both thighs, takes approx. 2-2.5 hours.

The operation in the lower leg area, for both lower legs, takes approximately 5 hours.

Lengthening the lower legs is significantly more surgically complex. This means that the lower leg operation takes significantly more time.

Hours after surgery

The patients come to the recovery room for approximately 2 hours. Afterwards we go to the private rooms of the leg lengthening clinic. In total, patients receive comprehensive medical care here for 5 days.

Getting up on the day of the operation

Most patients with thigh lengthening are in the presence of Dr. med. A. Becker on the day of the operation. This allows for quick mobilization with the help of forearm crutches. Patients quickly gain confidence and can train a controlled gait independently.

Dizziness and tiredness on the day of surgery

Some recently operated patients experience some dizziness and fatigue after general anesthesia. These patients are not mobilized until the day AFTER surgery. In plain language: From Dr. med. Patients operated on by A. Becker are on their own feet on day 1 AFTER the operation at the latest. Wheelchairs are absolutely taboo at the BECKER BETZ INSTITUTE.

Checkpoint Mobilization – Day 1 to Day 5 in the private clinic

Days 1 to 5 in the clinic are used to mobilize patients by the entire medical team. Patients learn to walk with the help of forearm supports. The running radius is increased during the initial mobilization.

Checkpoint rehabilitation clinic, click, click routine, extension, day 5

As early as day 5 after the leg lengthening operation, the patients move to the rehabilitation area, the rehabilitation clinic, until the 14th day after the operation. Day 1 of the rehabilitation process is for regeneration. The extension process then begins. Patients with lengthening in the thigh area now learn how to carry out the lengthening process independently – the lengthening mechanism is activated by “clicking”. The clicking process is trained and then supervised by the medical team. At the same time, leg lengthening patients learn the fundamentally important stretching exercises. Important: Stretching exercises are essential once the lengthening process has covered a certain distance.

After 14 days, all surgical wounds had healed. Patients have mastered the clicking routine, the stretching exercises have been learned, and the patients are mobile with forearm crutches.

Checkpoint tension phase

As soon as the click is extended, the muscles begin to come under tension. This phase begins when the reserve capacity of the muscles is used up, generally at a lengthening of about 1.5 centimeters. All patients clearly feel the resulting tension pain.

The important and really strenuous phase is the period for thigh lengthening up to 4 centimeters. During this period it is important to remain balanced and mobile.

Good to know: From an extension of 4 to 5 centimeters, the stretching process and mobilization become a little easier.

After 4 centimeters of extension

By the time 4 centimeters of lengthening has been achieved, patients have generally developed and learned a structured daily routine. This routine is maintained until the end of the individual leg lengthening of 8, 9 or 10 centimeters. Now the daily clicking will also stop. Patients reach the “clicking checkpoint”.

Consolidation phase

When the extension phase ends, the consolidation phase begins. The ossification process comes to the fore. This means that the gap created by the extension process must be consolidated; bone has to grow back. If everything is in balance and there are no muscular deficits (the patient can stand straight with the hips up and legs together), a normal gait without forearm crutches can be achieved after 8 to 12 weeks after the extension phase has stopped. This goal is the fastest that patients can achieve. Requirement: The gap between the bone ends must be fixed by new bone. Without this ossification, patients’ gait is always somewhat wobbly. Important: In order to optimize your gait, the focus is always on muscle strengthening in addition to stretching work.

Only after this process can patients start building up their physical activity: very slow training on the treadmill. Recommendation: 5 km for 5 minutes and 4 out of 7 days a week.

Whether endurance or strength training: the entire consolidation phase requires a very slow and gradual increase in exercise as part of the regeneration after leg lengthening.

Checkpoints leg extension in the lower leg area

Lower leg extensions are basically identical to the procedure for thigh extensions. However, various time periods lengthen/slow down:

• Surgery approx. 5 hours.
• Mobilization after the operation only the day AFTER the operation – mobilization is somewhat more difficult overall.
• Change to rehabilitation clinic after 7 days – hospital stay 2-3 days longer.
• Rehabilitation process is identical to thigh lengthening.
• Patients initially (4-6 weeks) struggle with swelling and immobility. After 6-8 weeks, the extension process becomes significantly and noticeably easier.
• The focus of lower leg lengthening is on mobilization; Patients have to walk and move.
• Stopping lengthening is similar to lengthening in the thigh area. After about 8-12 weeks, a normal gait without forearm crutches is possible.
• Ossification in the lower leg area takes much longer compared to the thigh area.
• All processes are controlled by medical examinations.

Do you have any questions about leg extensions? Feel free to contact us. The best way is to use the contact form or by phone.