Are my legs different lengths?

This is a question that clients very commonly ask our team of Bristol chiropractors and spinal therapists, when they are consulted by a client who is experiencing pain in the knees, lower back hips etc, even in the upper back. in this blog, we are going to discuss how to fix different leg lengths, and what it means to have a leg length difference.

Are your legs the same length?

Without knowing it, a large number of the population are walking around with one leg shorter than the other- a situation that may lead to chronic body pain. According to scientific studies, even a differential of a few millimetres in leg length can trigger disorders, ranging from arthritic knees to hip pain, low back pain and even headaches.

Leg length inequality is a lot more common than most people realise. However, it often goes undetected. That’s why Reco Spinal centre our team of bristol chiropractors and spinal therapists routinely evaluates patients for leg length differences.

Anatomical short legs vs. short functional legs

There are two types of “short legs”. Our bristol chiropractor and spinal therapist team explain to patients that each has its unique characteristics.

In the case of an anatomical short leg, the bones in one leg are physically shorter than the other. This contrasts with a functional short leg, where the bones of each leg are the same length. In the latter, however, one of the leg bones has shifted up or down: essentially functioning as if it were shorter.

Imbalances within the spine

When evaluating a patient with leg length inequality, the practitioners take care to uncover any possible spinal dysfunction associated with the condition. The Spine consists of 24 bones (vertebrae) stacked on top of each other. This column rests on the sacral bone on the hip. If the column shifts, it may agitate the placement of the hip bones, leading to SI dysfunction and in turn, to leg length differences and inequality.

Subtle shifts in spinal alignment are known as spinal misalignments of the vertebrae. These misalignments of the spine can cause back pain, and other postural-related conditions causing pain, and this in turn over time can make it difficult to carry out simple activities without discomfort. Research demonstrates that approximately 50 per cent of those with significant leg length inequality also have a postural problem, such as scoliosis or an altered spinal curve

Get a leg up on good health!

A wobbly restaurant table shimmies and shakes because one of its four legs is shorter than the other, it’s the same with people. You might be left wondering “if any chiropractors near me can investigate my leg lengths?”. The good news is that At Reco spinal centre we have a group of well-established bristol chiropractors and spinal therapists specialising in leg length inequality! Get yourself booked in for an initial consultation with one of our expert practitioners!