I'm Milo, 21, and I'm 166cm. I've wanted to be taller since I was 15, and therapy and shoe lifts didn't fix it.
So I'm getting limb lengthening, 166cm to 174cm (5'5.5" to 5'9"). There's nothing wrong with being short. This is just my call about my own body, and I'll document the real parts, good and bad.
Not magic. Just biology, on a schedule.
01 · Intact Femur
This is the bone I've decided on. Longest bone in the body, and the one that actually gets lengthened.
It can be extended several centimeters. Done well, function is retained. Recovery varies person to person, but for most people it doesn't change much long term.
A surgeon makes one precise, controlled cut through the bone. That's it.
I'm not going to pretend it's minor, it's real surgery. But that controlled break is exactly what tells my body to start growing new bone.
A small motorized titanium rod goes inside the bone canal. It's called a PRECICE nail, and it's the actual piece of tech doing the work.
Screws lock it in place above and below the cut. From here on, the nail does the lengthening, not the surgeon.
Every day, I hold a remote against my leg and it tells the nail to turn slightly, pulling the bone apart bit by bit.
About 1mm a day. My body fills that gap with new bone as it goes, this is the part that actually takes the longest.
Once I hit my target length, the lengthening stops. No more turning the nail.
The new bone still needs time to harden, usually a few months. Physical therapy through this stretch keeps everything else moving the way it should.
Eventually the nail comes out, and the bone is just bone again. No different from the rest of my leg.
Most people get back to running, lifting, whatever they were doing before. Timelines and results vary a lot person to person, but that's the goal.
Prefer to watch it play out? Official PRECICE surgical animation.
Sources: HSS patient guide · FDA letter to health care providers
Curious how you'd look?
Upload your own photo and try the simulation. Nothing is uploaded anywhere, it all happens on your device.
Try It On Your Own PhotoResearch and documentation. Sharing what I've learned so others don't have to start from zero.
Osteotomy + PRECICE nail insertion. I'll document the prep and the day itself.
1mm per day. Daily updates. What it feels like, what's actually happening inside the bone.
The new bone hardens. PT begins in earnest. I'll show the real recovery, not just the highlight reel.
Back to full activity. The final reveal. 166cm → 174cm, documented start to finish.
Dates and durations are estimates based on typical cases. Mine may end up different, and I'll update this if the plan changes.