Surgery for shortened Achilles Tendon

[Guest guest]

Elie, who is 26, has a very wide gait with what I call BEAR WALKING.  He does not pronate extremely.  But, he is adverse to walking any distance and practices stop, flop and drop (SFD) - altho recently much less as he simply stops and sits at the first available spot.

Over the years he has been in short AFO's for 3 years, and in articulated MAFO's for another 2 years.  OF course nothing changed even with concomitant PT. Now, I took him to a podiatrist (we have been the orthopod route only to be told to leave him be - after all he is 'retarded').  This podiatrist is very experienced in sports medicine, foot and ankle.  HE says that there is a 'simple surgery' to lengthen the Achilles tendon.  However, it would require 30 days of either crutch walking (not going to happen!) or wheelchair.  He said doing one foot, waiting 5-6 months and doing PT would give Elie the best chance of improving his gait - even though he doesn't realize (cognitively his gait is hampering him  .  He could also do both feet at once and thus get him into PT faster, but that would be more difficult for the 30 days.

OPINIONS are being solicited.  Anyone have this done?  -- Sara- different pathways lead to Nirvana.