The day of my limb lengthening surgery, my doctor asked me to make a choice. NuVasive had recently released a newer nail, called the Precise Stryde. It was a stainless steel rod which was capable of supporting a lot more post-op weight than the Precise Nail. The Precise Stryde nail offered faster healing and was more sturdy. This, to me, sounded like it was worth it. I wanted to get back on my feet as soon as possible. The Stryde nail could only be inserted, however, if the femur’s marrow cavity was large enough to accommodate a larger rod. Luckily for me, the stronger nail fit in my femur, and the Stryde nail was successfully implanted.

Post-op, I was able to put more weight on my leg which in turn helped me heal faster. I started out gingerly, with maybe 5-10 pounds of pressure through my left leg. But after lengthening when the bone gap began to close, I was able to start hobbling around on my left leg with minimal pain and no risk of the nail breaking. The Stryde nail could only lengthen up to two inches, however, which is why I now have a ¼ inch discrepancy. Most people have small discrepancies anyway, and this small of a difference shouldn’t affect me. If you are given the option to choose the Precise Stryde system and  have a discrepancy 2 inches or under, I’d suggest you use the stronger nail. For me, it helped me return to my life a lot quicker. And that, for me, was invaluable.