Can there be real and apparent leg length discrepancy?

Leg length discrepancy means that a person's two legs are not equal in length. However, this can be further categorized. Some people genuinely have unequal lengths, while others only appear to have unequal lengths. Here's an explanation.

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Causes

Leg length discrepancy can usually be divided into two types:

The first type is structural leg length discrepancy, also known as "true" leg length discrepancy, because the actual lengths of the two legs are indeed different. Its causes may include uneven growth of the two legs congenitally, or sequelae caused by external trauma such as bone fractures, tumors, or infections after surgery.

The second type is functional leg length discrepancy, which means that the actual lengths of the two legs are the same, but asymmetrical movement of the two legs occurs due to poor posture, hence it is also known as "apparent" leg length discrepancy. The vast majority of leg length discrepancies are functional. As most modern people often have poor posture, for example, office workers who sit for long periods, this can lead to chronic tension in the lumbar muscle group, causing an anterior pelvic tilt. If the body habitually leans to one side, it can lead to uneven muscles on both sides, resulting in pelvic obliquity and thus leg length discrepancy.

Symptoms

As the name suggests, it means that the length of the two legs is not equal. However, it may not necessarily be a visually obvious difference in length. A leg length discrepancy exists even if the difference between the two legs is 0.1 cm or more.

More obvious signs include one pant leg or shoe sole showing more wear and tear than the other, or only being comfortable when sitting in a specific posture. In cases of leg length discrepancy, the ankles of both feet may also be of unequal length.

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Impact

Research shows that if the difference between the two legs is more than 0.3 cm, it can cause abnormal body posture; if the difference is more than 0.6 cm, it may lead to pelvic tilt and scoliosis.

If leg length discrepancy is left untreated, it may cause pelvic obliquity, scoliosis, herniated disc, sciatica, as well as injuries and degeneration of the hip and knee joints, and chronic pain in the lower extremities such as plantar fasciitis. If bone injury is involved, it will be difficult to return to the original state.

Prevention

Maintain good posture: When sitting, keep your posture upright and avoid crossing your legs. When standing, avoid standing unevenly or dragging your feet.

Strengthen pelvic stability: Develop specific exercise habits, such as Pilates and yoga, to strengthen the stability of the muscle groups around the pelvis.

Wear insoles: If you already have leg length discrepancy, you can add an insole to the shorter leg to control the difference between the two legs. Insoles can also help the two feet exert force evenly, preventing the center of gravity from tilting to one side.

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For related products, please refer to: Rock Medical Insole Series

*The above does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for general conditions or any individual or patient case, and should not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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Publication date: January 9, 2023. If you would like to regularly receive free health information, please subscribe to us.

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