For a number of reasons, sometimes one leg will grow longer/shorter than the other. When this happens, when nonsurgical measures do not give good comfort or relief, then surgery is an option. The short leg can be lengthened, or the long leg can be shortened. There are certainly options available. The exact way of lengthening of bone varies and can be done at almost any age.
Distraction osteogenesis, also called callus distraction, callotasis and osteodistraction is a surgical process used to reconstruct skeletal deformities and lengthen the long bones of the body. A corticotomy is used to fracture the bone into two segments, and the two bone ends of the bone are gradually moved apart during the distraction phase, allowing new bone to form in the gap. When the desired or possible length is reached, a consolidation phase follows in which the bone is allowed to keep healing. Distraction osteogenesis has the benefit of simultaneously increasing bone length and the volume of surrounding soft tissues.