How to help a person with different leg lengths?

People with one leg shorter than the other are not that rare. Have you ever seen an adult who walks with a hopping gait? Or a child who doesn’t want to play with friends because he limps “funnily”? Orthopedic insoles for different leg lengths will help with this seemingly insoluble problem.

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Children with different leg lengths are at risk

According to numerous studies, children with an asymmetrical longitudinal arch are 15-20% associated with various types of scoliosis. Girls are more susceptible to these conditions – they suffer from posture disorders and flat feet more often than boys. This is explained by the more sedentary lifestyle of girls.

The most dangerous lifestyle for scoliosis is from 10 to 14 years old – adolescence. At this time, the child's skeleton is not yet formed, but the load on it increases. The child often sits hunched over at the desk during lessons, and then at home when doing homework. It is at this age that a boy or girl aged 7-9 develops scoliosis – statistics have registered up to 30% of such children.

Children aged 10 to 14 years suffer from the initial stages of scoliosis in 40% of cases, and at the age of 15-17 years this figure is also very high - it is almost 35%. The earlier doctors diagnose scoliosis in a child, the earlier it can be treated. And there is still a good chance to correct the curvature of the spine and the associated foot deformities.

And one more thing: the earlier scoliosis is detected in a child, the earlier it is possible to work with a shortened leg, compensating for this deficiency with orthopedic shoes. Parents should know: the earlier scoliosis is detected in children between the ages of 8 and 10, the earlier deviations in posture and arch of the foot can be eliminated, because the course of scoliosis, according to statistics, significantly worsens in the next 2-4 years, up to 12 years.

The fact that posture deteriorates at this age is explained simply: at this time, the child grows intensively, and this growth is uneven, in spurts. The progression of this dangerous disease and foot deformities usually slows down, and sometimes ends by the age of 14.

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Adults with different leg lengths are at risk

The largest group of adults who are particularly affected by scoliosis and related foot deformities are people over 50. At this time, bone tissue ages and deteriorates, especially with an unhealthy lifestyle associated with smoking and poor nutrition, as well as increased loads on the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, people over 50 often experience a change in the length of the intervertebral disc - it becomes deformed.

The pelvic bones become distorted because one limb (leg) becomes shorter than the other. Therefore, the disc between the vertebrae wears out, serves poorly, this aggravates poor posture, leads to an imbalance of the left and right parts of the body. The lumbar muscle, which is called the square muscle, suffers especially, it is located at the bottom of the back). The pectoral, clavicular, scalene muscles are also included in this chain, so the intervertebral nerves are compressed, many parts of the body hurt, in particular, the spine, and the person continues to hunch even more. Bad posture in people over 50 is accompanied by an uneven, jumping or limping gait, deformation of the feet.

Consequences of different leg lengths

In a child (especially a small one), the height of the longitudinal arches of the foot can be asymmetrical, which ultimately leads to scoliosis of the spine. Scoliosis is called a curvature of the spine in one direction. Unlike a normal violation of a child's posture (the child stands or sits hunched over incorrectly, his muscle tone is disturbed), scoliosis destroys the structure of muscles, bones, ligaments and cartilages that have not yet fully formed in the child. Therefore, scoliosis leads to an incorrect distribution of the load and an incorrect distribution of support points, and the child develops a foot deformity, in particular, flat feet.

Scoliosis can be dysplastic (a metabolic disorder in the spinal tissues by the twisting type) and static. All this together causes a jumping gait due to the different length of the child's legs. As for adults, different length of legs can lead to gross violations of the skeletal structure. This causes improper development of muscles, ligaments, cartilage, vertebral discs fall out, and a hernia of vertebral discs occurs. Therefore, people with such deviations often have back or stomach pain. These pains are long-lasting and excruciating.

When should you see a doctor?

It is very difficult to understand whether a child's legs are of different lengths or the same. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of poor posture in a child, it is necessary to visit an orthopedist or traumatologist for a consultation and treatment. Very often, at the initial signs of scoliosis and foot deformities, therapeutic exercise and dancing, as well as swimming, can help. In order not to miss the initial, barely noticeable signs of spinal and foot deformities, you need to see a doctor once a year for a preventive examination.

As for adults, they need to monitor their pain sensations. Especially in the spine and feet. And also monitor their gait. If your friends tell you or you yourself feel that your gait has become uneven, jumping or limping, consult a doctor for examination and treatment.

The extent to which the missing leg length needs to be compensated is determined by an orthopedist or traumatologist. Leg shortening (don't be alarmed, this is a medical term) can be absolute or relative. To determine the type of shortening, you need to take an X-ray of the pelvic area, as well as the spinal column. This is done in a standing position. Using this X-ray, the doctor will accurately indicate the difference between the length of one leg and the other, analyzing the height of the pelvic joint heads. This will make it possible to determine the difference in leg length.

If the shortening of the leg is absolute, full compensation is required, and if it is relative, incomplete compensation of the leg length is required, up to one third or one half for adults and up to half the length for children.

How to help a person with different leg lengths?

First of all, order orthopedic insoles. Such insoles are also called compensatory. They are selected individually, they are made within 20 minutes, the patient will not even have time to leave the clinic, and the insoles will already be ready. They can be picked up right away. What can you achieve with orthopedic insoles?

• Stabilize the position of the spine and feet
• Scoliosis and flat feet stop developing further
• Those areas of the spine that were heavily loaded are now unloaded and can calmly recover.
• If the shortening of the legs is too great, not only orthopedic insoles are used, but also insoles. They make it possible to make the posture correct, relieve the spine and feet.

It should be taken into account that a person may not get used to insoles and arch supports right away. Minor discomfort may be felt for 4-5 days of wearing the insoles. Then a person feels incredible relief: the insoles are almost not felt, but fatigue in the legs develops much more slowly, walking is much more comfortable, there is practically no pain in the legs. Stability in the ankle increases, the load on the knees becomes weaker, and the lower back hurts much less.

If discomfort in the feet and spine does not go away within a week, then the orthopedic insoles have been selected and modeled incorrectly. A follow-up visit to the orthopedist and other insoles are needed.