02 Oct Pre-Op Checklist: Preparing for Limb Lengthening Surgery
Once surgery is scheduled, there’s a meaningful amount of preparation — medical, logistical, and practical — that makes the early recovery period go far more smoothly. Here’s what that preparation generally involves.
On the medical side, most surgical teams will want baseline bloodwork, an EKG, and imaging finalized well ahead of surgery, along with medical clearance if any existing health conditions need to be optimized first. Smoking cessation is an absolute requirement and is tested for prior to surgery. Any medications that affect bleeding or bone healing, including certain supplements, may need to be paused under medical guidance before the procedure.
Physically, some surgeons recommend a period of pre-operative physiotherapy — sometimes called "prehab" — to build baseline strength and flexibility in the legs and core, since starting recovery from a stronger physical baseline generally makes the early weeks of limited mobility easier to manage.
Logistically, the home environment needs some thought before surgery, not after. Patients typically need crutches or a walker on hand, a plan for navigating stairs (or an alternative sleeping arrangement if stairs are difficult), a raised or accessible setup in the bathroom, and clothing that accommodates the surgical device and any swelling comfortably. Arranging help with daily tasks, transportation, and, if relevant, childcare or pet care for the first weeks after surgery is worth sorting out well in advance rather than scrambling afterward.
Work and time-off planning also deserves early attention. Given the extended nature of recovery — weeks of reduced mobility followed by a longer period of progressively returning to normal activity — patients should have a realistic conversation with their employer, and ideally build in some flexibility rather than assuming a fixed return date, since healing pace varies. Most patients can start work from home for desk jobs around 2-3 weeks post-op.
Patients often need to relocate to Montreal for 3-4 months during lengthening, so accommodations should be arranged well ahead of time. Physiotherapy is done five days a week, generally at the patient’s accommodations (provided they’re close to the clinic), for the duration of the lengthening period.
Finally, it’s worth confirming the practical details of follow-up care before surgery day: the schedule of post-operative visits and X-rays, who to contact with questions or concerns between appointments, and when physiotherapy is expected to begin. Going into surgery with these pieces already arranged removes a lot of unnecessary stress from the early recovery period.
This article is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Every patient’s anatomy, goals, and treatment plan are different. Please consult a qualified orthopedic surgeon to discuss whether any procedure described here is appropriate for you.
