Nothing Stands in 5-Year-Old Elly’s Way

Elly is like many other 5-year-old girls.

She loves Disney princesses, Miraculous Ladybug, Bluey, art and playing outside. She also loves to ride her bike, given to her by the BikeFit program at Shriners Children’s Northern California. But this bike is extra special – it was made just for her to accommodate her abilities. Elly has one leg that is shorter than the other.

Since she was a baby, her parents knew she needed treatment, but weren’t sure what path to take. Elly’s mom, Diane, met someone whose grandchild received treatment at Shriners Children’s for burns. They highly recommended she take Elly to Shriners Children’s.

Diagnosing a Rare Condition

Elly was diagnosed with a rare condition called proximal focal femoral deficiency, in which the upper part of the femur bone is either malformed or missing, causing one leg to be shorter than the other. In Elly’s case, this means she has a congenitally poorly developed hip and very short femur. She uses an extension prosthesis to equalize her leg lengths.

From the time she was one and a half, every six months Diane brings Elly to Shriners Children’s so her medical team can monitor her growth and review her treatment options.

“She may be a surgical candidate in the future,” said Shriners Children’s Northern California orthopedic surgeon Joel Lerman, M.D. “Though, some patients with her condition continue to use an extension prosthesis, like she is presently using, for the long term.”