1. Community
  2. Operations and surgical procedures
  3. Hip Replacement

Leg length

Posted , 6 users are following.

MarthaUK
MarthaUK

How do you know if your legs are different lengths after THR?

I've read loads of people saying there legs are various lengths different but how do you know?

I went to the podiatrist yesterday to get my corns done and I told her I didn't know if I was limping because my corn hurt or because if my hip. She said my legs may now be different lengths but would need careful measurinv to find that out. I'm 15 weeks post op and having trouble with an inflamed iliac muscle but the leg length thing worries me.

Any ideas?

1 like, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Mary8610
    Mary8610 MarthaUK

    Posted

    The physio told me my leg diff was about a centimetre and nothing to worry about . I have plantafascitus in my foot and 14 weeks post op that is more painful than my new hip .

    good luck

  • lynnsfave
    lynnsfave MarthaUK

    Posted

    I had a LLD (limb length discrepancy) of 1-1/2".  I knew it the first time I walked after the surgery.  Mine was bad enough that I had it revised this past February because I had so much pain in my back, shoulders and tail bone, and had severe sciatica.

    You could have your legs measured by a nurse or a doctor.  And you can try standing straight with your feet together.  Two things may happen.  One heel or the other will come up off the floor.  Or you lean to one side.  That means you have LLD.  If it didn't bother you before the surgery, it's probably the way you've always been.  But don't forget.  Nobody has exactly the same leg lengths. Nothing on our bodies is symetrical.

    Isn't the iliacus muscle in front of your hip bone?  Any correlation with the surgery?  I  hope you're having it looked at to find out what's causing the iflammation.

    • MarthaUK
      MarthaUK lynnsfave

      Posted

      I don't think there's a huge difference. I have back trouble too, OA in my spine, so its hard to walk straight anyway.

      The iliacus goes from your back round your hip to join onto the top of your thigh. A very big important muscle where problems apparently often go undiagnosed.

      I'm seeing my consultant in a couple of weeks so we'll see what he says. In the mean time the physio has taught me how to massage the painful but myself - seems to be helping 😊

    • lynnsfave
      lynnsfave MarthaUK

      Posted

      Good luck to you.  I was thinking a good masseuse could do you wonders.  I've had a masseuse periodically, and she always took away my muscle pains.
  • mary5832
    mary5832 MarthaUK

    Posted

    Hi MarthaUK:

    I had my hip surgery on March 9th 2015 and, after the surgery the very next day I was standing up and tried to walk with my walker.  My operated right side to me, felt as if someone had shoved something up my hip.  I felt as if I was listing to one side.  I mentioned that to the nurse on the floor that day and she repolie,,,"that happens".

    And, that was that!  Than over the next 6 weeks I kept noticing it more and more.  And one day at Physio, I asked the PT to measure my legs and she said your operated leg is 2cm longer.  

    Yesterday I saw my surgeon for the first time since being home from the hosp.  And, he too measured my legs and said there is a 1.5cm difference and he wrote me a script for a lift for my good.  Leg I said to him, well that's no big deal I no longer have any pain!!!

    And, that's how I look at it!!!

    I hope you will too!

     

    • MarthaUK
      MarthaUK mary5832

      Posted

      Thanks Mary. What did he mean by 'a lift'?

      1 1/2cm sounds like quite a lot! Xx

    • lynnsfave
      lynnsfave MarthaUK

      Posted

      Hi Martha.  1.5cm is about 1/2".  They make heel lifts to put in your shoes that will raise your shorter leg a certain amount, usually enough to even them out.  My difference was 4cm which is about 1.5".  Too much for any kind of lifts.
  • DawnDedee
    DawnDedee MarthaUK

    Posted

    Hi Martha,

    Yikes, an imflamed iliac muscle.  That is rough.  So sorry you are dealing with that. As far as the leg descrepancy, I am a little over two months post op and had to wait for 8 weeks before I could bear weight down on it, not usual, and when I first stood on that leg it felt very much longer than the other.  Now that I have walked on it for over a week, it feels normal even though my knees no longer line up.  I have my own ways of knowing and it is a bit longer than the other, however, I am adapting to it beautifully.

    It is true, there will always be a bit of a difference in length afterwards, no matter how well surgeons do their math and measuring.  Some have ended up with huge differences, but that is not common.  

    One thing I would suggest that you try is a new pair of shoes.  Throw out the shoes you wore prior to the THR because you wore those shoes into the walking pattern you had prior to the surgery and if you use those same shoes afterwards, you could be encouraging slipping right back into that same walking pattern.  See if that helps?

    Take care and hugs to you!  

    Dawn, USA

    • MarthaUK
      MarthaUK DawnDedee

      Posted

      Thanks Dawn. The shoe thing is always a problem for me as I have very narrow feet. Wide shoes are everywhere. I know I'll have to go down the route of ordering online, bring a half size as well!! 😜😜
  • ceboyd
    ceboyd MarthaUK

    Posted

    both my surgeon and a podiatrist have told me my legs are exactly the same length but I'm at 10 months now and still have alot of pain. Feels like a bone bruise and tendonitis.

    The perceived LLD, in my case, is likely because my pelvis is still twisted. It's going to take a long time to get healed for me, I think. Kinda depressing. 

    Anyway, 2 weeks ago I decided to just give up letting things settle on their own and I added an extra pad uner my non-surgery leg and the pressure relief on the surgery leg has been really great. I figure I'll give some relief and let the irritation go down and stretch and then I'll take the extra pad out and try to re-balance again and then so on and so on. 

    It pretty much feels like it's a trial and error thing as we're all so different.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.