A man went through intense pain to grow five inches taller, but he’s still not at his goal height.
Leon, 23, started his journey in 2023 to reach six feet four inches. He was originally five feet six inches tall and decided to undergo a leg-lengthening procedure to add up to nine inches to his height. However, the process is long, painful, and requires multiple steps.
This kind of surgery has been getting more attention in recent years. It’s not just about the operation—it takes months of slow and careful stretching before the real results appear.
First, the thigh bones are broken and metal pins and braces are placed around the break. A small screw sticks out from the leg, and the patient has to turn the screw daily to gradually extend the bone as it heals. Think of it like braces on teeth, but for the legs.
After reaching the desired height, the next step is recovery. The bone needs time to fully heal, and then a physiotherapist helps the patient learn to walk again.
Leon has been documenting his journey on TikTok (@le_tremba). He told his followers, “I’ve always dreamed of being taller.” In his first procedure, he lengthened his femurs, going from 171.5 cm to 182 cm. He used the LON method, which involves an external fixator.
Just yesterday (February 23), he shared a video struggling to walk, with the caption: “Current height: 184 cm. Goal: 192-195 cm.” In the clip, text on the screen read, “50 days after leg lengthening, my walking during the process of getting taller.”
In another post, Leon talked to a height surgeon about how much taller people can get from this procedure. The surgeon explained that the maximum lengthening for the femur is 12.3 cm, while the tibia can be extended by up to 10 cm.
The expert advised patients to watch their body proportions and aesthetics during the process. “Once you feel fine with your height, you can slow down and stop whenever you like.”