Leg length discrepancy

You may have had a leg length discrepancy for years, but it may never have caused you any problems. A leg length discrepancy can arise for various reasons:

• You can be born with it
• Due to an accident whilst you were growing up as a child, for example, as a result of an accident
• After having a new hip or knee
• In growing children, the legs do not grow at the same rate
• Following a pregnancy, pelvic instability or an accident, you may find that your symptoms do not improve, as these symptoms are perpetuated by a difference in leg length

A difference in leg length can cause problems with your feet, knees, hips and (lower) back. These problems usually occur on the side of the shorter leg. Often, a difference in leg length does not cause any problems at all.

If there are no symptoms in the feet, knees, hips or back, treatment is not always necessary. In the case of a relatively small leg-length discrepancy, the body will adapt to it. Depending on the extent of the difference in leg length and whether a person is experiencing any symptoms, options to consider include a heel lift and/or a podiatry insole.

A podiatrist will not always advise you to insert a heel lift or orthotic insole into your shoe. This depends on the required height. A heel lift of up to 1–1.5 cm can be inserted into a shoe. If the compensation required for your legs is greater than this, a shoemaker can create a heel lift underneath the shoe. Your podiatrist will advise you on the height of the compensation that a shoemaker can create underneath the shoe.

It is common for there to be a relative difference in leg length. This means that it appears as though one leg is longer than the other. However, this is not actually the case. During the examination, the podiatrist will check, for example, whether the pelvis is moving correctly and whether one foot is sinking inwards more than the other. If this is the case, the problem must be addressed and, in many instances, a heel lift is not necessary.