Vitality Blog

Leg Length Inequality

Do you experience back pain, a chronically tight hamstring, or feel like one leg is heavier than the other?  You may have a leg length inequality.  One of the easiest ways you can determine if you have a leg length discrepancy is to perform a wall hamstring stretch.

Lie on your back and place your legs against the wall- ideally your legs should be at 90 degrees to your back, and there should not be a bend in your knees.  Flex your feet towards your head.  Now look at where your heels rest on the wall – do they line up?  If one leg rests higher on the wall than the other, you have a leg length inequality.  It may be functional and caused by conditions such as, but not limited to, pelvic rotation or imbalances in the muscles attaching to the pelvis.  Alternatively, it may be anatomical and caused by conditions such as scoliosis of the spine, a previous fracture of one of your leg bones (femur, tibia, or fibula), joint degeneration, or a combination of functional and anatomical inequalities.

Regardless of the nature of the leg length inequality, if you notice a discrepancy in the height of your legs, get checked out.  It’s important to find out the cause.  Read on to learn more about leg length inequalities.

Have a great day,
Dr. Crysta Serné
Vancouver Chiropractor and owner of Vitality Clinic

• Posted: July 19, 2014
• |  by: Dr. Crysta Serne
• |  Categories: Vitality Blog
• |  Tags: Chiropractor,  Leg Length Inequality,  Low Back Pain,  Short Leg Syndrome,  Stretches