How to fix a SHORT LEG: Heel lift or not?

Do you REALLY have a short leg that needs a heel lift or is it just muscle imbalances of the quadratus lumborum? The first thing I like to find out is whether the "short leg" is functional or structural. Watch the video to learn more about trigger point work and stretching of the quadratus lumborum. Please let me know if you have any questions, thanks for watching!

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Cheers!

[angelabenz]

Awesome! Have a first time client tomorrow complaining of a short leg....was researching before hand and found ur video....this is perfect! I'm a massage therapist, so this'll help me tremendously (and her, of course).

[ironveganrmt]

Thank you for assisting my practice, I have used your video to send to my patients with great results, I do in session trigger point release in their treatments and this video helps them with their home care.

[adinaawai]

Great video! I'll try your suggestion! 😊

[christinanicholls]

Thanks so much. I’ve gotten different opinions on this. I definitely have right hip tightness and tenderness on my back under my rib. I was told that my leg is not anatomically shorter but was still told to wear the lift. I’m going to experiment and see how I feel. It’s tricky. Thanks again! Grateful for all these videos. ❤

[alfredalfredo]

My husband gave me nasty comments for the last few years about health healthy diet when I told him stop eating junk and sugar and start walking . No. I was the bad one now he had a blocked artery nearly died. I know how does it feel when someone leave nasty comments But don’t take it in 😁👍❤️❤️good video

[qweewolf]

This is true I can confirm from personal experience

[JieiDo]

Thank you. I found what I have right now. At first the muscles in my back under the last left rib was very painful when I twist my body. After a week, I can feel my knee that it's like pulling up, and a little ankle pain. All were explain in this video. 😊

[chrisbalducci]

My physical therapist and foot dr told me my right leg was off by a little so they told me to only wear one heel lift.
Well a year down the road after losing 50lbs, I started working with a trainer to build strength and working on stretching/mobility. I’ve found out that the heel lift made it worse causing my back pain to come back because my leg difference was minimal and could of been fixed by stretching. This does work indeed

[clublulu]

I’m surprised you didn’t go into mentioning why the QL becomes tight in the first place, and that’s because it’s compensating to provide stability that another muscle should be doing instead: the gluteus medius.

If the glutes are working like they should, then the QL is relaxed and doesn’t work extra hard. Sure releasing the trigger points will work, but that’s merely putting a bandaid on because the root cause hasn’t been tackled: weakness in glutes.

So, yes, a heel lift is not needed, but more importantly, strengthening of the glute medius is required to get rid of the problem forever.

Some great exercises include Banded Monster Walks, Single Touchdown Squats, or even something as simple as Hip Hikes. Any one of these exercises gets at tackling the root of the issue.

[ClayLud]

I had a torn Achilles which healed but reduced my flexibility on that side. I now have a tight QL. As I listened to your video about it tilting my hip higher, I realized that this contributes to my glut tendonitis when I run long distance. Wouldn't that tighten the glut tendon on that side? Thanks for the video. Great work.

[melatara]

Something chiropractors need to be aware of but do not get training for in school is not hip dysplasia is one of the most common reasons for short leg syndrome. I have been through so much trying to find relief for my hip on my longer leg and no answers. But at least I know what caused my short leg. It is because I have a hip dysplasia in that leg that I was born with. So please do add this to your list of reasons why this can happen. Because I worked for a chiropractor analyzed my x-rays and still had no clue that it was a hip dysplasia. I had to go to an orthopedic specialist and spend over $400 just for the diagnosis. And all they could tell me was to go to physical therapy. Anyways I still have a lot of SI joint pain and the hip of the longer leg and The sensation of it pulling out of socket when I am going on longer walks. I've had to forget about the hope of ever being able to run for jog.

[katmcgee]

Is scoliosis a strucrural problem and what do you recommend for that?

[DrVivek-dfbz]

I feel pain in my left leg ( from hipbone to ankel) and tightness in right side of my back .
What should i do ??.

[michaelcecil]

I'm 15 and I have one leg longer than the other, and am feeling a terrible pain on the knee of my shorter leg which makes me not to walk properly.
What should I do?

[keshavanrk]

Dr ed...is it possible to grow a bone after ossification?..would hgh help?...and at what age usually ossification happen for a healthy male....

[alizk]

Hello there 7 months ago i injured my knee in gym i was working on upper leg machine, my knee was injured and i couldn't bend it for almost two weeks, after that I've been dealing with lower back pain on right side and now recently on left side(right side which is the side of the injured knee is much better now) and recently I've been having knee pain, my knee bones make voices (I've been told i have chondromalacia patella, and that has caused me unequal leg length) I've been told to do the pnf stretching and other kinds of stretching, but soon after an hour i can feel the pain again and soon after i have to do the stretchings again, I'm so desperate, i would look forward for your advice, thanks

[jeffreinhart]

I have something strange going on that no practitioner has been able to help with. My hip is high on the right side. I have had some correction with chiropractic adjustment. Something that no one can explain is I do a wide leg forward bend my right leg does not seem to move in the socket like the left. My right side hikes up and my torso moves left. Not sure this makes any sense? I am about to turn 60 and have been able to run and cycle with no real pain. I would just like to correct this now that I have noticed it

[vickymaster]

Mine left left is shorter by 2 inches and i have a s curve scoliosis should I wear a heel to balance that? Please suggest. Thanks

[thomasmckendry]

I have structural and functional short leg. So it’s stretching and full length shoe build up for me. Shoe is built up half the length of leg difference.

[bismarkbizmark]

So i have lumbar scoliosis, which the spine surgeon doc, based on x-rays, said was caused by a congenital leg length discrepancy. News to me! So, pretty obvious pelvis tilt, and as far as heel inserts go, which i might give a try to see how it feels, i just have one question: do you think a heel lift should be worn inside as well as outside? Otherwise the intrinsic forces of the body will be significantly different inside vs outside.