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Why Is There A Leg Length Discrepancy After Hip Replacement?

Overview

If one scans the literature it readily becomes obvious that leg length discrepancy/asymmetry is a common finding. This fact has been a very controversial topic within chiropractic, and diagnostic rationales have been built around this very common finding.

The object of this column is to consider some of the causes of this discrepancy that the profession may have ignored or not been aware of.Leg Length Discrepancy

Causes

A number of causes may lead to leg length discrepancy in children. Differences in leg length frequently follow fractures in the lower extremities in children due to over or under stimulation of the growth plates in the broken leg. Leg length discrepancy may also be caused by a congenital abnormality associated with a condition called hemihypertrophy. Or it may result from neuromuscular diseases such as polio and cerebral palsy. Many times, no cause can be identified. A small leg length discrepancy of a quarter of an inch or less is quite common in the general population and of no clinical significance. Larger leg length discrepancies become more significant. The long-term consequences of a short leg may include knee pain, back pain, and abnormal gait or limp.

Symptoms

Back pain along with pain in the foot, knee, leg and hip on one side of the body are the main complaints. There may also be limping or head bop down on the short side or uneven arm swinging. The knee bend, hip or shoulder may be down on one side, and there may be uneven wear to the soles of shoes (usually more on the longer side).

Diagnosis

The evaluation of leg length discrepancy typically involves sequential x-rays to measure the exact discrepancy, while following its progression. In addition, an x-ray of the wrist allows us to more carefully age your child. Skeletal age and chronological age do not necessarily equal each other and frequently a child's bone age will be significantly different than his or her stated age. Your child's physician can establish a treatment plan once all the facts are known: the bone age, the exact amount of discrepancy, and the cause, if it can be identified.

Non Surgical Treatment

After the leg length discrepancy has been identified it can be categorized in as structural or functional and appropriate remedial action can be instigated. This may involve heel lifters or orthotics being used to level up the difference. The treatment of LLD depends on the symptoms being experienced. Where the body is naturally compensating for the LLD (and the patient is in no discomfort), further rectifying action may cause adverse effects to the biomechanical mechanism of the body causing further injury. In cases of functional asymmetry regular orthotics can be used to correct the geometry of the foot and ground contact. In structural asymmetry cases heel lifts may be used to compensate for the anatomic discrepancy.

LLD Shoe Inserts

leg length discrepancy exercises

Surgical Treatment

Leg shortening is employed when LLD is severe and when a patient has already reached skeletal maturity. The actual surgery is called an osteotomy , which entails the removal of a small section of bone in the tibia (shinbone) and sometimes the fibula as well, resulting in the loss of around an inch in total height. Leg lengthening is a difficult third option that has traditionally had a high complication rate. Recently, results have improved somewhat with the emergence of a technique known as callotasis , in which only the outer portion of the bone (the cortex ) is cut, (i.e. a corticotomy ). This allows the bone to be more easily lengthened by an external fixation device that is attached to either side of the cut bone with pins through the skin. The ?ex-fix,' as it is sometimes called, is gradually adjusted by an orthopaedic surgeon, and healing can occur at the same time that the leg is being distracted , or lengthened over time. Unlike epiphysiodesis, leg lengthening procedures can be performed at almost any skeletal or chronological age.