Have you ever been told that you have a leg shorter than the other? Is it anatomically shorter or is it a false short leg? In Madrid Health we will guide you with that short leg.
It may be that after having a lumbar or pelvic X-ray, you have been told that you have a hip higher than the other, but to distinguish if it is really shorter or if on the contrary it is a false short leg, we have to do a teleradiography, which is an X-ray of the legs, in which we can see if there is a femur or a shorter tibia.
If in the teleradiography they measure the same we will have to see what is the cause of the false short leg.
Causes of false short leg
- Spasm of the quadratus lumborum or psoas iliacus
The psoas is a hip flexor, so a contracture of this muscle would bring the iliac blade backwards which would shorten the leg on that side.
- Sacral dysfunction
After an effort in inclination the sacrum can lock in torsion or in unilateral flexion of the sacrum causing a false short leg.
With a true short leg
If we have a shorter femur or tibia our body will have to adapt and make the following modifications in order to maintain a horizontal gaze.
1) The sacrum and ilium will descend on the same side of the short leg, thus lengthening the leg.
2) An adaptive scoliosis will occur in the spine.
3) On the side of the short leg the occipital will elevate producing a cervical lateroflexion on the opposite side.
Treatment
- False short leg
This short leg can be the consequence of an ankle or knee sprain, an overstretching of the pelvis or disjunctions of the intestines.
- True short leg
At Madrid Health, our osteopaths will identify the cause of the blockage and treat it by manipulating the spine and viscera.
If the short leg is less than 8mm, we will treat the dysfunctions by correcting the blockages and if the symptoms are relieved we will not have to do anything else.
On the other hand, if the short leg has a difference of more than 8 mm with the other leg, after having treated the blockages, it is likely to need insoles. After putting the insoles, it is more than advisable to perform a posture analysis.
At Madrid Health, we have the best professionals to analyze your posture and treat the blockages that this short leg is causing you.