Is This Really That Important To know?
If you walk, run, jog, or hike more than a mile per week – this is important!
If you want to overcome (or avoid) pain in the foot, knee, hip or back – this is important!
If you want to avoid a knee or hip replacement in the future… yep, you guessed it – this is important!
Ever Feel Like One Leg Is Shorter Than The Other?
According to research it is actually quite common. Some researchers say that nearly 80% of the population has one leg that is anatomically shorter than the other.
Many do not realize it as they have never been properly evaluated for short leg syndrome, also referred to as leg length inequality (LLI).
Sadly, like a cavity in a tooth that goes undetected, LLI can wreak havoc in our body.
Common complaints associated with LLI include:
- Pain in the foot, ankle, knee, or hip
- Low back pain
- IT band syndrome
- Leg muscle asymmetry/imbalance
- Bursitis
- Plantar fasciitis
These issues get worse with time, especially if we put heavy demands on our body via work and exercise.
WARNING: short leg syndrome is often missed or misdiagnosed by “experts” in the health and fitness industry.
Functional vs. Structural Short Leg – Which Is It?
A structural short leg is when the long bones of the legs are anatomically different lengths. This often occurs when:
- the growth plates clothes at different times
- and/or due to injury to the growth plates
A functional short leg is typically due to biomechanical tension that makes one leg “appear” to be shorted than the other.
The good news is… they both can be improved.
The bad news is… most healthcare professionals fail to assess and intervene properly.
The gold standard here is to have a special x-ray taken to properly and accurately measure leg length. This will help properly diagnose structural versus functional. Then a posture and biomechanical analysis is done to design how to “unwind” the tension and compensation patterns associated with a short leg. In some cases, a shoe insert is required.
An Analogy That Makes This Easier To Explain This To Others?
Having a short leg is like having a front end alignment problem with your vehicle. It reduces performance of the vehicle. It produces excess wear and tire on the vehicle.
Whether you are an athlete, a weekend warrior, or just someone that wants your body to work right and last longer… this is something we need to be on top of, right?
How Do We Know If We Have It, And What Can We Do About It?
Doctor explains it best in this short video
Important items from this video:
- The one critical step to knowing if you have it or not?
- The healthcare professional most qualified to assess you?
- What can happen if you have it and do nothing about it?
- How can leg length inequality be fixed or improved?
One Last Thing…
As a Doctor of Chiropractic, I recommend that every child have a proper assessment like that mentioned in the video above. Whether a person has symptoms or not, they should know if they have LLI and what their options are before medication and surgery become their only option.
If you know someone that has any of the complaints listed above, please share this information with them today.