Last time it looked as though my right finger which I loaded via LSJL was about 1/4″ longer.  Now it looks like it’s about .375″ inches longer.  I’ve been loading about every day for about a 100 count on each of the three joints of the finger.  I increase the load as fast as possible, I could do more but I worry about injury because the clamp is so much stronger than the finger.  I might work up to more.  Two joints I load side to side but since the hand is in the way for the knuckle I load from top to bottom.  Here’s a post regarding my previous results and some images about how I perform LSJL. Here’s an image of my fingers now: Now it’s an extremely significant increase in finger length that is a result of LSJL.  Now I do have some osteophytes and the finger growth is not the same as normal finger growth.  In some of the other images you can see some finger deformities relative to a normal finger.  But it’s still a strong proof of concept that LSJL works to lengthen long bones. I’d rather prove LSJL sooner rather than later.  Would x-rays help?  I don’t really want to get them if they won’t convince people because it would cost a couple hundred dollar.  A lot of people don’t know exactly what makes you taller.  They can’t connect that long bones make you taller and the finger bones are long bones.  If LSJL can increase the length of finger bones(which are long bones(although they do have some different properties to other long bones)) then LSJL can increase overall height if those long bones are legs. As far as my leg progress though, I find that I can’t get as intense a clamp on my knees as I can on my fingers.  I think part of the reason is that there’s a lot of tissue types you’re clamping when you clamp a synovial joint.  It may take a bit of time before these tissues adapt to the clamping force.  I’ve been clamping for a long time with the C-clamp but there was a lot of slippage so there’s now a lot more force with the Irwin Quick Grip that i’m used to.  So right now I’m clamping with the Irwin Quick Grip to about a count of 130 before the pain in the soft tissues is just too irritating but over time the soft tissues will adapt and I’ll be able to clamp with as much force as I want as I have with bones I’ve been clamping a long time. So I’d recommend not clamping past the point of too much soft tissue pain and just try to increase clamping duration and intensity over time to allow the soft tissues to adapt. Remember, that LSJL is untested so there are guarantees that you won’t get injured or other maladies. Of course, if we could just prove LSJL then more testing can be done.  The question is how can we do it now rather than having to perfect it to increase leg length first?

Michael: The finger seems to be definitely longer, but you said that you clamped in all three joints.

• Does that mean that the clamping was also at metacarpophalangeal joints?
• How did you do that, and how can we not make sure that the MSP Joint did not go into inflammation mode aka swelling?
• There is so much evidence that finger joints can swell up if you hit them on something.

X-Rays seem to be the way to go. We measure the synovial joints of the index finger of the right hand compared to the control of your left hand’s index, which I hoped was never clamped, and see whether the lengthen is from the tissue in the synovial joints thickening as a response. If there is a difference in the distance between the bones in either the PIP and/or MCP joints, then the lengthening was not bone. If the distance in the PIP & MCP joint locations are the same, then we then say that the lengthening was truly bone.

You don’t have to go in for a GP check-up. Look into Urgent Care Centers (Source: Which is Cheaper Out of Pocket: Urgent Care Facility or Hospital ER?). They usually accept Insurance. I’ll even put down $70 for the X-rays if that helps.

This study doesn’t relate directly to height growth but it is by the scientists whose research was the foundation for LSJL.

In vitro and in silico analysis of an inhibitory mechanism of osteoclastogenesis by Salubrinal and Guanabenz

“Synthetic agents such as salubrinal and guanabenz, which attenuate stress to the endoplasmic reticulum, are reported to inhibit development of osteoclasts. However, the mechanism of their inhibitory action on osteoclasts is largely unknown. Using genome-wide expression profiles, we predicted key transcription factors that downregulated nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), a master transcription factor for osteoclastogenesis. Principal component analysis (PCA) predicted a list of transcription factors that were potentially responsible for reversing receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-driven stimulation of osteoclastogenesis. A partial silencing of NFATc1 allowed a selection of transcription factors that were likely to be located upstream of NFATc1. We validated the predicted transcription factors by focusing on two AP-1 transcription factors (c-Fos and JunB) using RAW264.7 pre-osteoclasts as well as primary bone marrow cells. As predicted, their mRNA and protein levels were elevated by RANKL, and the elevation was suppressed by salubrinal and guanabenz. A partial silencing of c-Fos or JunB by RNA interference decreased salubrinal- and guanabenz-driven reduction of NFATc1 as well as tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) mRNA. Collectively, a systems-biology approach allows the prediction of a RANKL-salubrinal/guanabenz-NFATc1 regulatory axis, and in vitro assays validate an involvement of AP-1 transcription factors in suppression of osteoclastogenesis.”

“Salubrinal and guanabenz are potent chemical agents for the inhibition of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) that specifically de-phosphorylate eIF2α. Through upregulating the phosphorylated level of eIF2α and reducing translational efficiency of most proteins except for a limited set of proteins, such ATF4, these agents attenuate stress to the endoplasmic reticulum. Gene regulation by salubrinal and guanabenz, however, not only takes place at the level of translation but also at the level of transcription. In osteoclasts, it has been shown that administration of salubrinal and guanabenz suppresses receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-driven activation of nuclear factor of activated T-cells, cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1) ”

“A partial silencing of c-Fos and JunB decreased the mRNA and protein levels of NFATc1. Furthermore, there was a feedback loop in which a decrease in c-Fos by salubrinal reduced NFATc1 expression, and the reduction in NFATc1 further attenuated the level of c-Fos protein. AP-1 proteins are known to play a critical role in osteoclast differentiation. It is reported that mice lacking c-Fos are osteopetrotic due to abnormal development of osteoclasts”

Unfortunately, no real LSJL insights in this study.

In the previous post I offered proof that my current LSJL was working for my fingers(and reported anecdotal evidence of increasing my wingspan by a couple of inches without photographic evidence) but that the LSJL method for the legs was lacking.  So I’m revising the LSJL method to be more like what I’m doing for the fingers which I’ve gotten gotten results from.  With an emphasis on intensity rather than duration.  If anyone has any ideas on how to get a more intense clamp please suggest them.  This is only for people with closed growth plates, people with open growth plates should clamp similarly but much lighter as there is no need to try to use clamping to create a more favorable microenvironment for cartilage growth.

You want to clamp on the synovial joint between the tibia and femur.    Michael has suggested that you should load lower on the epiphysis rather than above.  However, I think loading the synovial joint is important.  The bone there is weaker and it’s easier to cause deformation of the synovial joint then it is the bone itself.  There might be stimulus from the synovial joint that stimulates neo-growth plate formation.  The synovial joint is connected to the growth plate area after all.  You want to clamp more on the femur than the tibia as the clamp will eventually slip to be closer to the middle.  You always want to start clamping more on the bigger bone so it slips to the middle.  If it slips to be clamping on one bone then restart.  Essentially:  Make sure you are clamping the synovial joint.

Now you want to use the Irwin Quick Grip(Irwin Industrial Tools 512QCN Next Generation 12-Inch Clamp and Spreader).  But any clamp that can generate enough pressure is sufficient as long as it avoids slipping.  Try to clamp as hard as possible.  Use both hands to get harder clamps.  Take breaks with the clamp still on and the pressure still applied and try to clamp harder.  This method is untested so I can not make any guarantees on the optimal pressure nor can I guarantee that you won’t suffer an injury.  Right now my goal is to generate enough pressure such that there’s a visual or feeling of increased blood flow.  The goal is to generate hydrostatic pressure to create a pro-chondrogenic microenvironment to encourage new growth plate formation.  With my fingers I could see visually increased blood flow and I could feel it.  The goal is to generate enough pressure in the synovial joint to encourage a pro-chondrogenic microenvironment.  Any clamping method that does that is sufficient.

Here’s another angle:

Me clamping between the tibia and talus:

Me clamping between the talus and calcaneus:

Please let me know if you have any questions.  I know people will want a video so I’ll work on that for Part III.

Michael: Here is what I would suggest. Get a 2nd clamp to clamp simultaneously for the knee area. We do have two hands, and the clamping area is on the legs. A easy position to get into. To get the frequency correct, squeeze both hands at the same time.

Fit the two clamps along side of each other, one on the angular part while the other is on the sides, which you suggest. Since load is just pressure (Force/area) to increase the load, we just get a 2nd clamp to double the amount. At this point, I would not suggest increasing the amount of force from one clamp, but put the clamps into series on the sides of the tibia.

Note:  This post will provide evidence that LSJL does not merely expand the synovial joints but directly lengthens the bone.

I provided what I consider to be fairly irrefutable proof that I’ve increased finger length.  The issue is that finger length doesn’t come into play in athletics that much.  Larger hands could help in places where increased surface area would come into play.  I also increased wingspan which is more helpful in athletics but I have no documentation and wingspan isn’t measured by doctors.

So I have to return to developing a better methodology for LSJL for the legs which would increase height which is measured by doctors and important in everything in contrast to more niche uses for finger length and wingspan.  Here’s some of the methods I’ve tried.   I got initial results but stopped over time.  One of the reasons could have been that the results were due to dumbell loading since I stopped doing dumbell loading over time but I doubt that the results were due to dumbell loading since 65lbs is so slow.  There might be some sort of adaptive mechanism that reduces effectiveness over time.

The question is:  Why am I gaining length in my finger and arms but not in my legs?

The answer may be related to angular loading.  When I clamp a bone it begins to bend at an angle. Before I was trying to keep it straight which resulted in the knee popping out in the clamp at the top.  By allowing the knee to tilt the knee becomes trapped within the clamp stopping it from popping out.  My finger and other arm joints always tilt when I’m clamping them and I gained length there so it makes that I can allow for the knee joint to tilt and still gain length in that region.

I’m using the block to increase surface area.  I have to constantly adjust the block and clamp though for keeping it from slipping.  Slipping is far more an issue for leg clamping still so there are further advancements to be made here.

After trying this method for a couple of weeks it was too inconsistent.  Sometimes I would get a really good clamp and generate a lot of pressure other times the clamp would slip off before decent pressure was generated.  So right now I’m using the Irwin Quick Grip and I’ll cover what I’m doing in part II.  But right now I’m mainly focusing on one intense clamp rather than a certain time duration as before but bearing in mind to avoid injury which is possible since I am using so much force when clamping.  Although the time duration method was working with fingers/wing span, I think maximizing intensity is working even better even for fingers/arms.

I got a better angle of the finger length comparison.  I am only clamping my right finger and not my left.  You can clearly see that the right finger is definitively longer than the left.  It’s longer than it appears in the picture because I wanted to make sure the right knuckle was higher than the left so people didn’t think I was just sliding the right finger down.

Here’s another angle:

In this one it’s harder to prove that there’s no manipulation to alter finger length but it’s still another perspective.  You can also see the osteophyte on my right finger.  I studied a little bit about osteoarthritis and although osteophytes are a symptom of osteoarthritis they can be caused by other forms of mechanical stimuli too.  So, just because I have osteophytes doesn’t mean I have osteoarthritis.

Now to prove that it’s not just enlarged joints and it’s actually the bone that’s longer.

Comparison of two bones in the finger only and clearly the right finger bone is longer.  So LSJL lengthens bones and does not just merely expand the synovial joint.

Now here’s a thumb comparison.  I’ve only been doing LSJL on my left thumb and not my right.  I figured it would be unlikely for someone to argue that my right hand has always had longer figures if my right index finger was longer then the left but my left thumb was longer than my right.

And it looks like the left thumb is longer but I can’t rule out measurement error since it’s hard to tell exactly when the thumb ends on the hand.

I have before pictures of each appendage but it’s much easier to compare side to side against the contralateral limb.

So here’s some more evidence of LSJL but hopefully also switching up the knee and ankle method will be able to prove LSJL there and that is the big ticket for proof.  So look for Part II soon that explains the current LSJL technique I’m using(I have pretty much finalized the technique but need to take the pictures) and hopefully more LSJL proof.

Michael: I answered your later posts before this one, so I did not realize you accounted for synovial joint expansion.  As for the one question you wanted answered, I will just go back to the fact that the fingers and the arms are not always being pushed upon. With the legs, since we are always walking, the effects of the clamping might be negated by the loading from just walking itself.

As for the osteophyte issue, it is a unique sign that something is not going correctly. Has osteophytes also developed in the finger bone segments which were not clamped?

This supplement is available for sale and it seems to be promising for those who have existing growth plates:

Effects of Eucommia ulmoides Extract on Longitudinal Bone Growth Rate in Adolescent Female Rats.

Full study -> eucommia

“[We] investigate the effects of E. ulmoides extract on longitudinal bone growth rate, growth plate height, and the expressions of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in adolescent female rats. In two groups, we administered a twice-daily dosage of E. ulmoides extract (at 30 and 100 mg/kg, respectively) per os over 4 days, and in a control group, we administered vehicle only under the same conditions. Longitudinal bone growth rate in newly synthesized bone was observed using tetracycline labeling. Chondrocyte proliferation in the growth plate was observed using cresyl violet dye. In addition, we analyzed the expressions of BMP-2 and IGF-1 using immunohistochemistry. Eucommia ulmoides extract significantly increased longitudinal bone growth rate and growth plate height in adolescent female rats. In the immunohistochemical study, E. ulmoides markedly increased BMP-2 and IGF-1 expressions in the proliferative and hypertrophic zones. In conclusion, E. ulmoides increased longitudinal bone growth rate by promoting chondrogenesis in the growth plate and the levels of BMP-2 and IGF-1. Eucommia ulmoides could be helpful for increasing bone growth in children who have growth retardation.”

“Because components in E. ulmoides extract activate osteoblast differentiation, we hypothesized that treatment with E. ulmoides extract would increase longitudinal bone growth rate.”<-Interesting considering it’s the growth plaate that increases height.

If you look at figure 2 in the full study, the growth plate looks bigger but it doesn’t have the dramatic differences that other chemicals or methods induce in the growth plate.  Which means that the risk is that this chemical only increases growth rate and not adult height.  According to Table 1, this compound increased levels of BMP-2 and IGF-1 by up to 50% in the resting, proliferative, and hypertrophic zone.

“At the dose of 100 mg/kg, E. ulmoides caused a significant acceleration of longitudinal bone growth rate, which was 373.1 ± 24.4 µm/day (6.4%) compared with the control group, which was 350.8 ± 18.5 µm/day. At the dose of 30 mg/kg, E. ulmoides caused an acceleration of longitudinal bone growth rate of 360.5 ± 23.5 µm/day (2.8%) compared with the control group.”