Pre-Limb Lengthening Surgery Stretches

I know that back when I got the Leg Lengthening surgery done, a major concern of mine (and my doctor) was my flexibility for a good turnout as the most common complication occurs is loss of ROM. 

There are a select few best stretches which I recommend you do at least 5x per week for up 2-3months before your leg lengthening surgery!

Your typical relaxed-static-stretch-and-hold isn’t going to cut it. It’s not the best way to increase your ROM. 

Rather a type of stretching called PNF or Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation is much more effective. It’s what I used to prepare for my LL surgery and to come back faster.

Without getting too detailed, it’ll improve your mind muscle connection and allow it to stretch further than usual. It’s basically when you stretch to the max range you can, then contract the muscle in the opposite direction, release slowly, then stretch a slight bit further that you now can and hold for 30sec, then rest for 20sec and repeat up to 4-5x per side. And do the other side. Now there are more advanced forms of PNF but we’re going to focus on the easiest form that still works really well which’ll increase your ROM by lengthening the muscle and increasing neuromuscular efficiency aka “mind muscle connection” and thus making you more flexible!

Okay and one more thing, most important stretches for LL are going to be the ones in your posterior chain on the backside of your body (your hamstrings, glutes, calves) as these seem to be the tighter muscles in most people but do yourself a favor and stretch everything.

There are 3 types of PNF methods…

1. The contract-relax method (CR)- where you contract the desired muscle and then relax into a deeper static stretch
2. The antagonist-contract method (AC)- where you contract the opposite muscle and pull further into a deeper stretch
3. The contract-relax-antagonist-contract (CRAC)- method which is a combo of both

But the most important stretches are going to be the ones in your posterior chain on the backside of your body.

Before you stretch just warm-up for 5 min on a stationary bike or walk on the treadmill.

Time to stretch!

Now there are femur-focused muscles that should be stretched as well as the tibia-focused muscle stretches using PNF stretching for optimal flexibility.

Femur-focused muscles

1. Hamstrings
2. Glutes
3. Quads
4. IT Band/Abductors
5. Adductors
6. Hip Flexors

Tibia-focused muscles:

1. Gastrocnemius
2. Soleus
3. Tibialis Anterior
4. Achilles Stretch

Be sure to check out the video below for a demonstration of the stretches for each of these muscles…