Do you have one leg that is shorter than the other?

Many people have one leg that is shorter than another. This is referred to as a limb length discrepancy. Although many people may be worried about this, the majority of the population has some amount of difference between the two. So, most people will go through their lives never realizing that there is any difference. For some people though, limb length differences can be significant enough that it can affect the way that they walk.

When the difference affects the way that you walk, you may need to exert a greater amount of energy to be able to walk down the street. It also may cause your hips to bend one way or another. This bending can cause an individual to visually tilt from one side another while they are walking. Dependent upon the severity of the discrepancy, they may have pain in their back or their legs.

So, what do you do about a short leg? Well, we could try lying you down on a table and stretching the one leg until it is the length of the other, but this is considered barbaric and is very inefficient. So, instead, we use devices that are known as heel lifts. These can be used either inside of your shoe, on an orthoses inside your shoe or on the outside of your shoe. This will function to lift your foot to where it will function at the same level as your other. This will work to prevent your pain and allow you to function normally.

If you or someone that you know has a limb length discrepancy and you live in the Methuen, Lowell, North Andover, Tewksbury, Massachusetts area, our office staff would be more than happy to help you schedule an appointment. Through a few quick measurements, Dr. Wachtel will be able to determine if a limb length discrepancy is causing your pain, or if your symptoms are due to something else.