Achilles tendon lengthening is usually indicated when the legs are overstretched (over 6-7cm for women and over 7-8cm for men) or during the lengthening procedure, the patient did not do any exercises or were scared to get hurt that he did not take any rehabilitation excercises. When the Achilles tendon suffers equinus and rotates inward, rehabilitation exercise and walking in the future will be difficult.
Depending on the level of tendon contracture, the doctor will decide whether to perform this procedure or not. The Achilles tendon lengthening procedure is simple to perform, with only 2 small scars of 0.5cm and having a cast for fixation for 4 weeks,. After that, rehabilitation exercise is much easier which leads to reduced healing time. Many patients can walk with their heels touching the ground normally just after 6 weeks.
Below is the photo of a female patient who had her legs stretched by 6.5cm and her height changed from 158cm to 165cm. She underwent Achilles tendon lengthening and could walk normally after 2 months since her fixators got removed.