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Leg Extensions
PixelMonkey
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Well dear people I need some advice here once again. I've recently had leg extension surgery suggested as a solution to my height prob and I was wondering what you people. I've got one brother for and one against.
Yes the recoverery would be painful, and everything as well long 6 months to a year which isn't really a prob since my career path easily means I can easily work from home.
Yes the recoverery would be painful, and everything as well long 6 months to a year which isn't really a prob since my career path easily means I can easily work from home.
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Leg extension surgery might help with that a little, but with your current state of mind I sort of doubt it will have a great effect on your confidence. It won't be the solution to your confidence problems.
I have no real advice regarding the surgery itself, you're the one who can make the best cost/benefit projection for yourself there. But ask yourself what you expect from it. What do you think being a bit taller will do for you?
Were you already receiving therapy?
Also, the visual look is usually compromised - there's some scarring and tissue damage at the sites, and you will probably be put on painkillers you will want to take - they can affect your work and long term sobriety.
Just take the time and money and workout and do fun stuff and be awesome. Again, that's advice assuming you are a small, medically normal guy, if you have some clinical problem with your health, that's different. I'm normally very pro "do what you want with your body" but this is not a simple cosmetic surgery or body mod. It's something with some long term ramifications more like back surgery.
I host a podcast about movies.
Height prob is basically I'm 5'5'' so pretty damn short. That and the fact I've basically got no hope with girls with my height the way it is.
But my good man PreciousBodilyFluids I'm doing therapy and what have you.
Lots of women like tall men sure, but depending on your area, "tall" may not start until over 6'... and you're not going to gain 7''+ from leg extension surgery, and even if you could your body proportions would look very odd (SUPER long legs + short torso).
You need to get more comfortable in your own skin. There may be lots of things you can legitimately improve about yourself, but unless you had a medically related height issue... it shouldn't be one of your major concerns.
I know getting shot down can suck... but guess what? I'm tall and I get shot down ALL the time. Being tall doesn't magically make women swoon over you.
As others suggested, look into what you think being taller would actually do for you. Maybe talk to someone about your insecurities, maybe find a good female friend that can give you some pointers and advice. It's quite possible you just present yourself very poorly... and possibly because you have an issue with your height, not that your height is an actual issue.
Alright, I thought you were but wasn't sure. That's good! Keep doing that and being open with them about these issues that plague you.
But how about my questions? What is it you actually expect from the surgery? What is it that you think being a few inches taller will achieve for you? If getting girls are your primary reason, do you think these few inches will make the difference?
And if it really is mostly for romantic purposes... I do honestly believe your mental state of being and outlook on women are far more important than your height, and that improving on those will help more than becoming a bit taller.
Cosmetic surgery is nothing more than a crutch, in most cases. You may gain an inch or two from the surgery but what will effect your chances with ladies is only going to be the confidence you believe you have gained from it. You can get that without surgery, you just have to be assertive and realize that you have things to offer to a relationship that have nothing at all to do with height.
What you need to do to find a lady is:
1) Put yourself in positions to meet new people that share interests with you. College Classes, local interests clubs, gaming stores, conventions, even bars or other social gathering spots where people who share whatever passions you have will do. The point is: if you aren't out there meeting people you won't have any chance of finding a lady who likes what you like and, hopefully, develops an interest in you as you do her.
2) Be confident. You are a pretty rad guy, all in all. I know nothing about you personally, but I know 100% this is the case because you are a) alive and b) able to communicate. Those two things mean you have something to offer someone: from a shoulder to cry on to useful skills to lively conversation. Think about what is GOOD about you, and we all have a ton of good in us, and hang on to that. We all have things we are insecure about, I know I do. From height to weight to the shape of your nose to any number of other problems or things we are sensitive about. Ignore those, everyone has them (guys and girls alike), and focusing upon your perceived faults will only cause others to do the same.
3) Don't be in a rush. You won't meet the first girl out there and have both of you fall head over heels. You may have to meet hundreds of people in order to connect with someone, this is very normal. The reason why so many relationships blossom in High School and College is due to the amount of new people you meet over time making it fairly likely you will make a connection, so put yourself out there!
You don't need surgery for confidence, and I would strongly suggest that anyone suggesting painful, damaging body modifications as a solution to your problems likely isn't a voice you should be giving a good amount of credit too.
A manlet tends to be someone who overcompensates for their small stature with making a big show on how much weight they can move at the gym.
If you think height plays a factor I have some seriously bad news for you, it holds almost zero bearing on that. It has more to do with how you carry yourself (attitude) over your height.
If the reason you're looking to get this extremely painful surgery is "to get women," I think that's the wrong reason. Most people have this surgery because one leg is longer than the other and it's negatively affecting their posture and overall body health. You seem to be approaching this more like a woman approaches breast implants, except breast implants are relatively painless.
However, if you're willing to endure thousands of dollars of surgery and potentially years of pain just to potentially have a better chance of having a girlfriend, I'd suggest putting a small portion of that money into more therapy, working out, and doing more social mixer-type things. The vast majority of women will not find it attractive that you spent a large portion of money and relegated yourself to physical therapy and potentially life-long negative health effects just for a couple extra inches of height.
How much height would you even be likely to gain from this procedure, anyway? I can't imagine it's more than a couple inches. Well, the reality of it is that, assuming that puts you at about 5'7"...that still puts you below average height, assuming you live in a majority Caucasian part of the world. You're never going to be "tall" if that is the standard of the people around you that you are judging yourself by. On the other hand, as @Enc points out, in other parts of the world you would already be at the average height or actually slightly taller than average.
You mention in another thread that you can run a marathon in 2 hours and 20 minutes. This is a feat I an many others would be envious of. I am 6'2" and I couldn't so much as run a 5k right now. Being in good enough shape and having the dedication to run marathons is or ought to be far more impressive to anybody than the simple fact of stature. It's not like anybody can consider their height some sort of accomplishment. I am astounded to think a person who runs marathons would give up being able to train for the sake of getting a little taller. Hell, I'd gladly give up a couple of inches to have the genetics and dedication of a good marathon runner.
Yet you downplay your abilities, you're clearly in great shape but say (in another thread) you're the "wrong kind of fit," and what does that even mean? You also seem to be well-positioned in a good career. You appear to have a lot going for you, but you have convinced yourself that ou have "no hope with girls" because of your height. It's not even like you're that short. You're not a little person. It's not as if you would have people staring at you walking down the street because you're so small.
I frankly think that if you weren't short, you would pick some other trait to fixate on as the reason you have "no hope with girls." There will always be just one more thing you want to "fix," one thing you wish was different, before you can allow yourself to be confident in yourself and be happy. I know the thought process, believe me.
Prince is 5'2", over fifty years old, and women melt down in his presence. If you aren’t getting laid now you aren’t going to get laid any more by being 5'8".
And I get it. I'm short and slim as well. Overall I'm pretty comfortable with my body--and I'm nowhere near as fit as you seem to be, what with the marathons and all--but if you put me in a group of people of generally above-average height, I sometimes feel small, and that's not a comfortable feeling. Conceptually, the move from feeling smaller to feeling lesser is easy to make.
What works for me and might work for you are internal scripts, habits that kick in when you start feeling down on yourself. The usual temptation is to withdraw and turn inward, but that's neither healthy nor helpful. What you should try to do is adopt a more confident, assertive posture. Stand or sit up straight, lean into conversations, raise your voice just a little, smile, that sort of thing. If your body language is confident, you will project confidence not only to the people around you, but to yourself as well.
It would help alot with my confidence I would imagine.thise it's not a guaranteed choice since yeah I won't be able to athletics, sports or martial arts.
at the very least - you could try some postural things like Alexander Method or some speaking things like Toastmasters of voice lessons before you do this stuff
I host a podcast about movies.
Have you actually spoken to a surgeon about this? My bet is he or she wouldn't even consider this type of surgery for someone in your situation because the risks so much outweigh the benefits. I don't think it's worth even debating this as an option.
The point is: that while you imagine painful and fairly pointless surgery will help your confidence the only thing that you really need to help your confidence is to be confident. You could assume you have a magic "livestrong" wristband that makes you a studly lady killer and, if you act as if it were true, it would have the exact same effect. The surgery is entirely a placebo, and a really silly, shortsighted and painful one.
The people who find height a dealbreaker are going to be no more impressed by you at 5'7 or 5'8. It's also like $100,000. When you factor in the risk of complications in surgery and recovery, it's clearly not worth it. Maybe if you're independently wealthy?
I am 6'2. It's nice, sure, but if i'm out of shape I don't get the time of day from anybody. But, to echo @Enc 's comment - the issue is confidence, not how you acquire it. I have done much better romantically having a career and making lots of money. Not because of the $ directly, but because of the self-confidence one gets from having a profession and not having to worry about making rent if you get dinner somewhere niceish. I am pretty much exactly the same person I was a student, the only difference is in my self-conception.