How to measure leg length discrepancy and pelvic tilt
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hi fellow Hippies,
My last TRHR was on the 30th September. The first, carried out on the 16th January, 2016, When, last November, I saw my Consultant, I told him that I felt off balance and that my right leg appeared to be longer. I was shown my X Ray and informed me that I had a pelvic tilt. However, I wasn't really convinced, and thought this might just be a "cop out". At the advice of a Rehabilitation Coach, from my Health Club,I did, last Thursday, see my Chiropractor. He measured me in the following manner. Whilst lying on my back, and using a tape measure, he aligned equally across my pelvic bones. From these points, he asked that I place a finger onto the measure. He then, whilst I held the measure, took it along the inside of each leg and to the ankle bone. I held my breath until he informed me that both legs were of identical lengths .Still on my back, he then took the measure to just above my tummy button and again,whilst I held it, he measured down the inside of each leg and to the ankle. This revealed that my left leg and not my right, was almost an inch longer and that my pelvis was, indeed, tilted. My Chiro, whom I have known for sixteen years, corrected the tilt and praised the two Consultants who had carried out the surgeries. He then advised that, although my core strength was good, the muscles within my bottom were extremely weak. He gave me gentle stretching and strengthening exercises and told me to return to my Aqua Areobic classes, but to take it very slowly because, to overdo it, would cause more problems.
Lots of people on this forum have complained of leg length discrepancies when some or, as in my case, all the discrepancy was due to my pelvis becoming twisted. This, is generally caused, by the body endeavouring to over compensate and, with osteoarthritis, is apparently, extremely common.
So before you go off and buy those insoles. Firstly, ensure that you actually need them. Or, that you obtain the correct measurement.
I hope this has been helpful and I wish you all a speedy recovery.
Lots of hugs and blessings,
Maureen
3 likes, 16 replies
AlexandriaGizmo morriewynn
Posted
Its taken a while but patience is a must and perseverance as well.
morriewynn AlexandriaGizmo
Posted
Wow, four inches down to half an inch? That's amazing and I'm sure will give others, with discrepancies, encouragement.
Many thanks for posting.
beth2509 morriewynn
Posted
My physio recommends barefoot skin shoes after surgery instead of slippers. You can even wear them around the garden! These are like thin fabric foot covers with a minimal rubber protective sole, and so leave your feet walking as though you have no shoes. This helps your body to find its new natural norm - just as it did when you learnt to walk, most of the time barefoot! We weren't designed with shoes, and they have an impact on how we walk that isn't natural - even "sensible" shoes!
morriewynn beth2509
Posted
Hi Beth, Funnily enough, ever since I can remember, once indoors and, yes within the garden also, I like to walk bare footed.
In this cold weather, I am wearing the foot covers you mention. Be warned though, they get very wet when washing floors. So, I have two pairs. I don't know why the lettering has altered. Never mind.
Stay well and warm Beth.
hazel14263 morriewynn
Posted
Hi Maureen . Very interesting . Afraid my leg length discrepancy is very real measured by surgeon , physio and podiatrist . Now have to wear inserts FOREVER and ended up in osteopath yesterday ( £40 a pop !) as my shoulder and neck were all out of whack following on from lilting to the right . He rightly said if both feet level on the ground then your eyes are level too . So if your not level everything else is imbalanced using the eye analogy as an example ...
he said I need to wear the insert ALL time as in his mind 6 mm enough to throw everything off centre and will wear out other hip or knees etc .
Great .....??
madla39168 hazel14263
Posted
Hi Hazel,
My leg was measured by sergeon and was told by him 1.3 to 1.5 cmm length leg disripency. Than second surgeon sad no
he sad my legs are same im just standing wrongly but did not
mesure my leg. Physio sad get the insolheel to get balance
because one leg is longer than other . You are right 6 mm is
inaf throw evrythingoff centre and wear out other hip.
My opsite hipp getting worse even with insole. Today my first day at work i was happy to finished even evry body helps and happy to see me. My op hip was ok hurt little but oposite hip
hurt lots. Came home took some painkillers and its little bit
better. Hopefully when is my next hip done the legs wiil be
same . I hope so. I dont know why second surgeon did not mesure my legs when i told him about leg discrepancy. Stright away he sad next hip is very bad need to be done. How you are
doing ? Still pain.?or getting better.
Hug Madla💗
morriewynn hazel14263
Posted
Hi Hazel,
Do you feel balanced wearing the insole? When you're out of whack everything hurts.
I do so hope that things improve for you Hazel.
Take great care.
Hugs, Maureen
hazel14263 madla39168
Posted
But each day gets very slowly better xx
renee01952 morriewynn
Posted
hi maureen ,
thank you for sharing ... wow ... that is great and must be such a relief for you ..
big warm hug'
renee
morriewynn renee01952
Posted
It is a relief to know that both my legs are the same length. However, there is something that I have not mentioned before. In the year 2000, I had a Tumour that had attached itself to my right sacroiliac ligament and took some six months to diagnose. Thankfully, it was benign but had grown to an immense size; had caused nerve damage and to remove it, involved major surgery. For seven long years, I literally, had no life. My right sacroiliac joint, which supports the lower extremities, malfunctioned and due to this, my pelvis, sacrum and coccyx became unstable. This, along with damaged nerves made any form of movement, unbearable and agonising. A local Chiropractor, told me of her Lecturer, who had, by then, began to practice. I contacted him and, although it took a very long time, he gradually, gave me back my life. With manipulation and exercises, including swimming and water aerobics, we worked together to stablise and strengthen. I still cannot sit on a hard surface. A tilted chair or a sudden jerk, will put everything out of sinc. But, I know that once I see my chiropractor, all will be fine. As you can imagine, I was absolutely terrified, with both surgeries, that my back would shift because, if it had, I would not have been able to receive the chiropractic treatment necessary to correct and re-align it. Both surgeons were aware of my history and, miraculously, my back, apart from my pelvis, remained in place. However, the muscles that I strengthened, to compensate for the SI joint malfunction, have, once more, weakened. My Chiro cannot say for sure that my back will ever be completely strong enough to fully support a prosthesis; only time will tell. It probably would have been better, for me, if the right hip had been fully cemented as opposed to the hybrid procedure.
In any event, I am now being a good girl and, each morning, carrying out my exercises. I have attended an Aqua class where, under the direction of my Aqua instructor, I took it gently. After the class,I could feel the weakened muscle twitching. I sat in the jacuzzi and let the hot jet of water hit the muscle; absolute heaven!
So here we go again.
You remain well and take care of yourself.
Thank you for the big warm hug. Have one back.
Maureen
judith12644 morriewynn
Posted
You've been through such a lot. I really hope that you have a good outcome and recovery. Wishing you all the best.
madla39168 morriewynn
Posted
Hi, that great . Im happy for you.
Hug Madla💗
lyn1951 morriewynn
Posted
Measured just the way you described, and found to have difference in leg length. The measurement across your tummy near you belly button, is them acturally finding the crest of your pelvis at the front and then measureing from there, as the physio did it he was explaining to me what he was doing.
Last length tests he did for me was lying on my back, checked I was straight through shoulders, hips, knees and ankles, had to adjust myself a little on table till he was satisfield I was straight, him watching from my feet, then draw ankles up towards pelvis with feet flat on the table, again he from the side then checked the back of my ankles were in the same position, even i could see the difference, knees not even, that in my case was caused by lower leg length discrepancy of 10mm natural, and from the side he could see one knee was further extended out than the other, that caused by 12mm Dr's added to femur. Confirmed later by LONG LEG X-RAY, where they x-ray you from the floor to your waist and then measure the resultant leg bones, only after that did the surgeon admit that my leg was 22mm or 3/4 inch longer, but refused to take any responsbility as it all complicated by the natural difference below my knees. I have since found out that that natural length discrepancy should have been identified before my surgery, I don't beieve it was, second ortho surgeon said he didn't know how it was missed and their is no way he would have missed it, always checked before he started surgery, he told me, but proving that, lawyers don't want to know either.
lyn1951
Posted
Should have included this in posting, natural leg length of 10mm does not have to taken into consideration for shoe lift, as I grew with it my entire life, but the combined amount has been a nightmare for me with back pain, ruputered discs which were not there previous, Dr's telling me I would adjust, the more I tried to adjust the more crippled with pain, and sciatica I was getting, in the end not possible, eventually took the shoe lift issue into my own hands and at about 4 month mark bit the bullet and had a couple of pairs of shoes adjusted, relief from pain was and sciatica a huge difference. Dr's still denying its a problem and no link between back problems and LLD, but for me it is.
Guest morriewynn
Posted
Due to a slight complication during my first LTHR ( they fitted the wrong piece so I to go straight back into the block to get it changed. lol )
I had gained 7mm. This was measured by an X-Ray and confirmed by me in the subsequent months. During the second operation RTHR I saw the surgeon hang up the same X-Ray on a display and low and behold I am now level again. What a difference too, makes a hell of a change. I am sure if I hadn’t reminded the surgeon the day before the opp he would have forgotten. The height difference though not huge did contribute to the accelerated wearing down of the second hip.
hazel14263 Guest
Posted