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Abstract
The surgery can help people find jobs and marriage partners. But if not done carefully, the dangers are considerable. Bones stretched too rapidly will not grow strong enough to support the body's weight. Legs extended at different speeds can become misshapen and nerves can be damaged. Horror stories about other less capable surgeons appear from time to time in the Chinese media. Young women have reportedly been left with their feet splayed outwards on weirdly twisted legs; others' bones have never properly healed and continue to break at the slightest knock. In one of the worst cases, a 31-year-old woman was left in the frame for a year because her bones proved so brittle that they could not support her weight after being stretched. Her feet still point in odd directions and she is unable to squat.