Short Leg Syndrome or Leg length discrepancy has several causes but it’s often developmental in nature, meaning it is present in youth and worsens over time. The causes of short leg syndrome are:
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- A lower body injury that occurs during childhood
- A leg fracture or other injury that impacts a child’s growth plate and, therefore, stunts the growth in one leg
- The presence of a tumor or infection in or near one of the legs
- Exposure to radiation
- Neurological conditions (such as cerebral palsy or lumbar radiculopathy) that impact the body and brain’s ability to regulate appropriate functional development
Anyone who sees a doctor for specific concerns will first undergo a comprehensive evaluation, which involves doctors taking a medical history and vital signs. Doctors will then complete a physical evaluation where they take measurements of the body.
If a doctor is assessing someone for short leg syndrome, they will specifically measure the legs. Doctors use a measuring tape spanning from the heel of the foot to the top of the leg at the head of the femur. Measurements are taken while the patient is standing barefoot for the sake of accuracy.
Some doctors prefer another method that involves placing various wooden blocks under the shorter leg until both legs are even. They then measure the height of the blocks and will then know the exact difference between the two.
Someone living with short leg syndrome will demonstrate some of the following symptoms:
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- Distinct but different problems with the knees (the knee on the short leg will usually be hyperextended while the knee on the other leg is often flexed)
- Uneven posture via tilted hips or shoulders
- Trouble walking, either in the form of a limp or walking on the toes
- Pain that starts in the upper leg (near the hip) but extends to the back, knee, and ankle
There are also non-invasive approaches, such as physical therapy and chiropractic care, that can assist in treating short leg syndrome. In particular, chiropractic treatments such as manipulative therapy, manual therapy, flexion distraction, and traction can help correct uneven hips, postural symmetry, and restore proper joint motion. These interventions, in addition to strengthening exercises, work to address functional imbalances, muscle tension, and pain that often result from leg length discrepancy.
Depending on the severity of short leg syndrome, there are several potential treatments. In instances where the leg length discrepancy is less than 2 centimeters (cm), doctors will often recommend a raised shoe or heel lift to increase bodily symmetry and prevent further injury.
More drastic cases often require surgery, either by shaving the bone of the longer leg or using metal hardware such as rods to lengthen the shorter leg. Another procedure that doctors may recommend for children with leg length discrepancy is surgery on the growth plate of the longer leg.
This usually involves placing rods or screws directly into the growth plate to stop further development of the bones in that leg, since that would worsen the discrepancy.
