Most people may not pay much attention to whether they have leg length discrepancy, because leg length discrepancy (about 0.5cm to 2cm difference) does not cause immediate impact on the body. Except for leg length discrepancy caused by disease or accident (about 2cm or more difference between the two feet), such patients need special shoes or leg braces to assist walking. Some people only discover leg length discrepancy when they have their pants altered, and because it does not cause any pain, they just let it go and do not take it seriously. Leg length discrepancy is not a disease, but it is actually a culprit to many spinal health problems.

​

When every patient comes for a spinal examination, the first thing to check is the leg length. Any leg length discrepancy can indicate some problems with the spine or joints. Even if the leg length discrepancy is only 0.5cm, it can lead to gait problems, or  prone to falling.  When the spine is tilted or twisted, the leg can become shorter. The short leg will be pulled down, and the pelvis, lumbar spine, etc. will also be affected. The spine alter into an incorrect position, which will affect the surrounding muscles to become tight and cause pain. In severe cases, the misalignment of the spine will compress the nerves, resulting in numbness and weakness of the hands and feet, and muscle atrophy.

​

Did you know that more than 80% of people who suffer from low back pain have leg length discrepancy? Leg length discrepancy is not just a problem for adults. There was a case where the patient was a two-year-old child who sat in an incorrect posture and often fell when walking, causing the hip joint connected to the pelvis to shift, the thigh muscles got spastic and the leg length discrepancy was 2cm.

​

Think about it, if the problem of leg length is not improved in childhood, when they grow up, the bad posture will become a bad habit, and the body can no longer bear it. Once the spinal pain breaks out, how serious it will be! Therefore, if you find that your children have problems with sitting or sleeping posture, you should check your children for leg length and receive appropriate treatment as soon as possible.

​

In addition to corrective treatment to cure the problem of leg length, the proper heel pad can also help the feet to maintain balance when walking. Parents can pay more attention to whether their children often fall when walking; their gait when running is different from other children or they often complain that their feet are tired and painful. These are also signs of general leg length or pelvic imbalance. Early improvement and early treatment can avoid complaints when pain breaks out.