A man in China who suffers from localized gigantism has come one step closer to achieving his life dream of wearing sneakers after a successful surgery narrowed his foot by several inches.
Prior to undergoing the procedure, the man, who uses the moniker Zhang Hua to protect his privacy, wore a size 20 shoe prior to the procedure. Given the large size, his footwear had to be custom ordered—and that presented Hua with a major problem. “Due to the fact that sports companies don't do made-to-order shoes, I have never worn sneakers in my life,” Hua told a Chinese news outlet.
Doctors are performing the surgery in two stages: they just completed operating on his right foot, narrowing it by 2.7 inches. Once he has recovered from the first procedure, they plan to do the same to his left foot.
Although gigantism is clearly a very rare condition, foot surgery of any kind has the potential to be life altering: for better or for worse. That’s why choosing your foot surgeon is of utmost importance—you need to see a professional who will explain all your options to you, and only perform surgery if it is medically necessary.
If you have been told you need to undergo foot surgery, it is your right to receive a second opinion. Before you go in for an operation, schedule an appointment with Dr. Andrew Schneider for a comprehensive evaluation.