The Big Lie About Having One Leg Longer Than The Other: Leg Length Difference/Discrepancy

"Famous" Physical Therapists Bob Schrupp and Brad Heineck discuss the Big Lie about Having One Leg Longer Than The Other: In other words Leg Length Difference or Leg Length Discrepancy.

[jenzyy]

Thank you for taking the time to talk about this, it was very informative.

[madeleine]

Bob and Brad. Both of my parents have passed so I understand what you both are going through taking care of elderly parents while helping them maintain a sense of independence. This helps them so much with their morale. Best Wishes that both of your moms continue to manage on their own for as long as possible. Please take care of yourselves as well. Sometimes that can be the hardest part but it’s very important.

[ezekielswanson]

You guys are great. I've been watching you're videos on and off for years now. Thank you for being so helpful!

[DSAlthaus]

Great review and information. I broke my left femur about nine months ago. It was surgically repaired with a rod and screws. I have a significant trendelenberg gait and tightness in my hip capsule and hip adductors. I’ve been working with a DPT for several months and she mentioned that a hip length discrepancy may be playing a role in my gait. I did the measurements and came up with about a 25mm discrepancy. Based upon this video, I’m inclined to continue working on increasing the flexibility in my hip capsule and adductors, as well as strengthening my gluteus medius muscles on the injured side. This video helped me avoid excessive concern over leg length. Thank you.

[bethduffus]

As a dressmaker, I can spot when a woman (I don't sew for men) has one leg longer than the other because the torso kinks in at the waist on the longer-leg side to accommodate the extra length. It makes the fat pad on the upper back hip higher and more prominent and I have to put in larger darts on that side on pants and skirts. There is also a drop on the shoulder of that side. It's very common.

[wahooooh]

I have back problems! When I was younger the doctor confirmed I had one leg longer than the other and that was that lol. He didn’t emphasize which leg it was or what to do or what to expect. It’s probably why I get intense back pain sometimes when I’m young and healthy

[zjunegirl]

I was born with an inch difference and now at 19 I’m having disc pain in my lower back on the smaller side, and my spine is slightly twisted and I wear a lift. I’ve had an x-ray and my bone from the hip down is even smaller and has less Cartledge etc. I was also born with a noticeable face difference but grew out of it.
Parents didn’t really know about chiropractors and so I was crawling at the age of three until I saw a chiropractor and the next day I instantly started walking.

[Stacey]

I love watching your videos - I learn so much from them. I was interested in this one particularly because over twenty years ago Chiropractors have mentioned that one of my legs was longer than the other. I never really knew the difference and they did not tell me by how much, they just adjusted me.

[benjoseph]

You guys always deliver the goods...⚡⚡⚡⚡

[Hiker_who_Sews]

Good advice! Had polio in '53, so I have a short arm and leg. Never had a problem except having to buy 2 sizes of shoes. As my knee and foot are not aligned, I have pain when I skin/SCUBA dive (with fins), but that's been my only issue.  I also ran track, played on tennis and soccer teams without problems. I still hike and bike.

[kalynjarmon]

My knees hurt when I have to squat or bend and my lower back hurts and I’m only 16 I didn’t my right leg was shorter until recently so is it because of my legs?

[gm]

They brought up the question about one leg getting shorter than the other one instantly for example a hip replacement. Then they said they would talk about that later in the video. So I watch the whole video and they never brought it up again. Very professional guys.

[evanryan]

Please do a video on what to do if you have a 1/2 to 1 inch difference after knee surgery. It is significant enough to cause real pain and there don't seem to be any good solutions.

[brianrothbart]

There is a high level of confidence that placing a heel platform under one leg (creating a lab induced long leg) forces the ipsilateral innominate bone to rotate anteriorly which functionally shortens the leg (I cited a number of original research papers that all came to this same conclusion). However, an anteriorly rotated innominate bone is a symptom and the question is, standing, what forces the innominate bone to rotate anteriorly (walking both innominate bones rotate around their sagital plane.).

This is what I believe to be the etiology of an ascending short leg syndrome based on several of my research projects (below cited):

Two abnormal genetically inherited foot structures (the PreClinical Clubfoot Deformity and Rothbarts Foot) force the feet to abnormally (gravity drive) pronate during ambulation (Rothbart 1988, 2002, 2006):
• Abnormal foot pronation drives the innominate bones anteriorly (1988, 2002, 2006).
• The more anteriorly rotated innominate bone being ipsilateral (same side) as the more pronated foot (2006).
• Anterior rotation of the innominate bone displaces its' acetabulum cephalad and posteriorly (Rothbart 2006).
• This functionally shortens both legs and hyperextends both knees.
• The resulting functional short leg being ipsilateral to the more anteriorly displaced innominate bone.
I view the anteriorly rotated innominate bones as one pathomechanical event in a series of pathomechanical events, initiated by an abnormal inherited foot structure.


Professor Rothbart

• Rothbart BA, Esterbrook L, 1988. Excessive Pronation: A Major Biomechanical Determinant in the Development of Chondromalacia and Pelvic Lists. Journal Manipulative Physiologic Therapeutics 11(5): 373-379.
• Rothbart BA, 2002. Medial Column Foot Systems: An Innovative Tool for Improving Posture. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies (6)1:37-46
• Rothbart BA 2006. Relationship of Functional Leg-Length Discrepancy to Abnormal Pronation. Journal American Podiatric Medical Association;96(6):499-507

[kirstymacfarlane]

I value your advice very much. The chiropractor I've seen, same clinic I get my massage, he did the drop technique to even out my pelvis and it's made a huge difference in my leg pain. People have commented that I'm walking better as well. It's like everything else in life, if you find a good and honest physio, dentist, GP, chiropractor etc, then you're laughing. Just got to find the dentist!! 😱😱

[TheDarklady]

A pt confirmed my LLD yrs ago. I could tell easily and one short leg was slightly longer. No scams or money taken. It’s real and it hurts. Had back issues now knee issues but inserts do help! Love you two😊

[mattcraig]

I was ‘diagnosed’ with one leg longer thab the other at the age of 20. It wasn’t until I was 36 years old when, with the help of a good chiropractor doing pelvic manipulation and an exercise regime, that I realised that I shouldn’t have EVER been wearing a heel raise.

[keithyoung]

Rather than using a simple heel lift, in my experience (orthotist) it is often preferable to add a small amount of height from the heel to the sulcus, (up to just behind the toes.) A simple heel lift can be destabilizing. Try it out yourself with both methods and see what I mean. Ending it behind the toes is just to leave room in the shoe for the toes. It should be flexible under the met heads for 3rd rocker. Of course, this all depends on space available in a shoe. Sometimes you just have to add EVA it to the midsole.

[bruhgamer]

hey Bob and brad can you guys please make a video about exercises for mpfl reconstruction recovery? thanks 😃

[MadfugginMax]

im 36 year old male 6'2 when i was growing during puberty my left leg grew 2 inches longer then my right ( i had x-ray measurement done). by the time i was 18 years old and i have gradually developed more and more lower back pain (among most my spine all the way to my neck, shoulders ect.) and sometimes if im lifting heavy things at work my hip will pop almost like what a rotator cuff injury feels like (like that half popped out feeling) and every step ill take for days afterwards it will pop an pop and ill get excruciating pain waves down my entire leg straight down to my foot, i have been told by doctors i can do 3 things, have my themur in left leg chopped an have 2 inches removed then have it plated back together, have my lower right leg bone (forgot name) stretched with a series of rings and wires that i crank bolts on every other day to stretch it out looking like something straight out of a hellraiser movie :/ or simply get a shoe lift but a 2 inch shoe lift is of lift and its not a permanent solution, But anyways for now until i decide to just get my themur chopped putting me in a wheelchair for 6 months then another 6 months rehab for the muscles becoming a loose rubber band im looking into any kind of stretches that will be safe and relieve some of this pain im enduring, this is actually the first time ive searched youtube for something about lower back pain stretches so im going to try out some of these stretches you are showing and hopefully ill get some results, because as of now im in so much pain at age 36 with this i can barely do anything, i cant do the things i love like hiking, fishing, mountain biking and just generally anything that requires me to pretty much stand up anymore because of the pain i have no ambition for it and it depresses the heck out of me. I fear if i dont do something soon im going to permanently damage my hip or spine for rest of my life so i must find something or have the first operation i mentioned done at this point in my life. Ive subbed and thanks for these videos. also i forgot to mention my spine is very crooked from it and just tweaking my back one way or the other makes it pop and crack in several areas so loudly it actually freaks people out near me when i do it.I try not to do this cause i know its not good for me but its almost like a addiction now cause its so relieving once i do it pain wise.