Are My Legs Uneven? A Look at Leg Length Discrepancy
Up to ⅔ of the world’s population lives with a 2mm or more difference in the length of their legs. While just 2mm won’t cause a noticeable difference in walking or other complications, if you raise this number to just 5mm (¼”), it can cause serious problems during everyday life including back pain and lower extremity pain.
Many times, LLD is caused by a genetic disorder that results in the leg bones forming or growing unevenly. If your child is born with a leg length discrepancy, you should monitor this closely as they grow and consult with a foot doctor regularly to reevaluate the length. Your podiatrist can help determine the best course of action to future reduce pain or injury.
Each year, over 600,000 knee replacements and 350,000 hip replacements are performed in the United States. The majority of these procedures are wildly successful and give new life back to people who were struggling with chronic pain and limited mobility. However, uneven limb length accounted for almost 5% of all complications from hip and knee replacements.
Whether by genetics or a surgical procedure, uneven leg length can cause a large variety of health problems. In fact, there are so many possible complications from unequal limb length that they are hard to classify. Thus, Leg Length Discrepancy is usually overlooked as a potential cause. If you have Leg Length Discrepancy (LLD), then easy relief is possible to get from your local foot doctor.
First, you should come in for a consultation with your FAAWC provider. They will take the time to measure your legs accurately. After that, you can make the decision together as to what type of treatment is best for your situation. In most cases, a shoe lift is an easy and effective solution. The Foot and Ankle Wellness Center offers full or partial shoe lifts to help relieve symptoms from LLD. Just bring in the shoes you wear the most, and our experienced technicians will add the lift directly to them.
Don’t live with LLD! Make your life better and alleviate your symptoms with a simple shoe lift. Call and make your appointment today!
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