# What growth abnormality did this person have? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425 "2012-07-16T18:09:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/1 "2012-07-16T18:09:15Z")
While I was out this weekend I saw someone with a growth abnormality (or deformity if you prefer) that I had not seen before. It was a woman, and from the waist down she appeared to be completely normal (this includes her butt, legs, and feet). But her upper body was much shorter than normal; it appeared that her torso had been “crushed”. As a result, even though her legs were normal length, she was probably only 4’ - 4’6" tall. I was walking behind her and was trying not to stare. There didn’t seem to be any issues with brain function (although her speech was a bit garbled), and there were definite issues with mobility of her arms and upper body. I’m just curious what this might have been. ---
**Author:** ![pdunderhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4bbf92/32.png) [@pdunderhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pdunderhill)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/2 "2012-07-16T18:27:02Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > While I was out this weekend I saw someone with a growth abnormality (or deformity if you prefer) that I had not seen before. It was a woman, and from the waist down she appeared to be completely normal (this includes her _butt_, legs, and feet). But her upper body was much shorter than normal; it appeared that her torso had been “crushed”. As a result, even though her legs were normal length, she was probably only 4’ - 4’6" tall. > > I was walking behind her and was trying not to stare. There didn’t seem to be any issues with brain function (although her speech was a bit garbled), and there were definite issues with mobility of her arms and upper body. > > I’m just curious what this might have been. Well if you are talking about a fellow human please treat others with more respect. ‘It’ is a woman, 50% of humanity, ‘butt’ whilst we all know what the word means, futher demeans this individual. The SDMB, AFAIK, does not operate as a vicarious Victorian ‘Freak Show’. If you believe in anything, and apparently according to your own miens, you don’t, thank your lucky stars you are who you are. By the way you are too short/tall/thin/fat/bright/dumb/libertine/reactionary or just plain ignorant. Peter ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/3 "2012-07-16T18:35:05Z")
> [@pdunderhill](#): > > Well if you are talking about a fellow human please treat others with more respect. > > ‘It’ is a woman, 50% of humanity, ‘butt’ whilst we all know what the word means, futher demeans this individual. > > The SDMB, AFAIK, does not operate as a vicarious Victorian ‘Freak Show’. > > If you believe in anything, and apparently according to your own miens, you don’t, thank your lucky stars you are who you are. By the way you are too short/tall/thin/fat/bright/dumb/libertine/reactionary or just plain ignorant. > Peter Ugh, I’m sorry, my OP probably came off the wrong way. If this is considered offensive then I have no problem with a mod deleting it. Those were genuine writing errors and not an intended dehumanization of the woman I was describing. Unfortunately, I missed the edit window. I’m actually genuinely curious, not in a “point and stare” kind of way but in a “read wikipedia about it” way. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/4 "2012-07-16T18:42:31Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > Ugh, I’m sorry, my OP probably came off the wrong way. If this is considered offensive then I have no problem with a mod deleting it. Those were genuine writing errors and not an intended dehumanization of the woman I was describing. Unfortunately, I missed the edit window. > > I’m actually genuinely curious, not in a “point and stare” kind of way but in a “read wikipedia about it” way. Your post was fine…some people are just hypersensitive around here and don’t understand the basics of how humans sometimes speak. Marfan syndrome is one possibility and can result in long legs with a shortened torso. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/5 "2012-07-16T18:44:51Z")
> [@pdunderhill](#): > > Well if you are talking about a fellow human please treat others with more respect. > > ‘It’ is a woman, 50% of humanity, ‘butt’ whilst we all know what the word means, futher demeans this individual. > > The SDMB, AFAIK, does not operate as a vicarious Victorian ‘Freak Show’. > > If you believe in anything, and apparently according to your own miens, you don’t, thank your lucky stars you are who you are. By the way you are too short/tall/thin/fat/bright/dumb/libertine/reactionary or just plain ignorant. > Peter So. . . I’ll take it you don’t know, either??? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/6 "2012-07-16T18:47:18Z")
> [@pdunderhill](#): > > Well if you are talking about a fellow human please treat others with more respect. > > ‘It’ is a woman, 50% of humanity, ‘butt’ whilst we all know what the word means, futher demeans this individual. > > The SDMB, AFAIK, does not operate as a vicarious Victorian ‘Freak Show’. > > If you believe in anything, and apparently according to your own miens, you don’t, thank your lucky stars you are who you are. By the way you are too short/tall/thin/fat/bright/dumb/libertine/reactionary or just plain ignorant. > Peter Overreact much? ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/7 "2012-07-16T18:54:57Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Marfan syndrome is one possibility and can result in long legs with a shortened torso. Long legs, okay; but in Marfan Syndrome I think the torso is short only relative to the long limbs, not in an absolute sense (although there can be all types of associated abnormalities of the chest which may lead to its ‘collapse’, I suppose). ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/8 "2012-07-16T18:55:22Z")
“It’s” may not have been the best choice of word, but the OP was fine. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/9 "2012-07-16T19:05:02Z")
> [@pdunderhill](#): > > ‘It’ is a woman, 50% of humanity, “It is a \_\_\_\_\_\_” as a phrase used to identify a person’s gender is absolutely standard, and shows no disrespect. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/10 "2012-07-16T19:09:27Z")
IANAD, etc. Sounds like an extreme scoliosis to me. If the spine is curved in a sideways “S” it gives that “crushed” look you describe. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/11 "2012-07-16T19:09:46Z")
> [@pdunderhill](#): > > …‘butt’ whilst we all know what the word means, futher demeans this individual. Awfully good of you to not suggest any alternatives. :rolleyes: “Butt” is fine. It’s the word of choice when someone doesn’t want to be so clinical as to use “buttocks” or so vulgar as to use the word “ass.” ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/12 "2012-07-16T20:05:05Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > Long legs, okay; but in Marfan Syndrome I think the torso is short only relative to the long limbs, not in an absolute sense (although there can be all types of associated abnormalities of the chest which may lead to its ‘collapse’, I suppose). [This site](http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site543/mainpageS543P1.html) and others use the term “short torso” as a symptom of Marfan. They don’t seem to use it in relation to the length of the legs so it seems, in some people, it can be a manifestation of Marfan. Marfan also causes scoliosis and can result in speech problems due to malformed palate and jaw. I’m not claiming this is the answer but it just seems to fit best to me at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/13 "2012-07-16T20:21:25Z")
> [@pdunderhill](#): > > The SDMB, AFAIK, does not operate as a vicarious Victorian ‘Freak Show’. Not a visual freak show, but certainly an intellectual freak show. ---
**Author:** ![Iggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Iggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggins)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/14 "2012-07-16T21:21:31Z")
My wife’s aunt is built similarly. I believe she has a form of scolosis. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/15 "2012-07-17T01:56:33Z")
What’re we supposed to call it then? The _derriere_? The _posterior?_ The _heiny_? What _is_ the enlightened designation for booty? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/16 "2012-07-17T02:14:40Z")
> [@markdash](#): > > Ugh, I’m sorry, my OP probably came off the wrong way. There was nothing wrong with your OP. **pdunderhill** is just being a rooster inhaler who’s looking for something to be offended by without having to look in the mirror. Sorry if that came off the wrong way. I don’t want any chicken farmers to think I was insulting them. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/17 "2012-07-17T02:29:28Z")
> [@pdunderhill](#): > > Well if you are talking about a fellow human please treat others with more respect. > > ‘It’ is a woman, 50% of humanity, ‘butt’ whilst we all know what the word means, futher demeans this individual. > > The SDMB, AFAIK, does not operate as a vicarious Victorian ‘Freak Show’. > > If you believe in anything, and apparently according to your own miens, you don’t, thank your lucky stars you are who you are. By the way you are too short/tall/thin/fat/bright/dumb/libertine/reactionary or just plain ignorant. > Peter **[Moderator Note]** **pdunderhill** , this kind of commentary is inappropriate for General Questions. If you have a problem with someone’s post, either report it or take it to the Pit. No warning issued, but don’t do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/18 "2012-07-17T02:31:35Z")
NM ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/19 "2012-07-17T02:32:38Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > There was nothing wrong with your OP. **pdunderhill** is just being a rooster inhaler who’s looking for something to be offended by without having to look in the mirror. [Moderator Warning] **pkbites** , you’ve been around plenty long enough to know that insults are not permitted in General Questions - even if you try to be cute by using a euphemism for “cock sucker.” This is an official warning. Don’t do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425/20 "2012-07-17T02:40:13Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [Moderator Warning] > > **pkbites** , you’ve been around plenty long enough to know that insults are not permitted in General Questions - even if you try to be cute by using a euphemism for “cock sucker.” Perhaps I shouldn’t post while imbibing in wild turkey. But then “wild turkey” might be mistaken as a euphemism for… Ehhh…skip it.😛 Everyone, please accept my apology and regrets. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-growth-abnormality-did-this-person-have/628425.md?page=2)