When you think about your legs, they go up to your hips. Ideally, the both of them are the same length so your hips are on the same level. Now, what happens in a leg length inequality, is that one leg is shorter, and it changes the orientation of your pelvis.   

How Does This Affect Scoliosis?

For a normal pelvis, everything would be levelled at the hips, straight up the spine. What happens in a leg length inequality, is one of the femurs or, one of the legs is shorter than the other and the body leans over to adjust.

In order to correct this, we need to get the spine back the opposite way. And, depending on the amount of inequality, you can get scoliosis from that. Or effectively, it shifts over and you get a twist in the spine.

Leg Length Inequality in Kids

Now, a leg length inequality scoliosis, if caught at the right age, when patients are young and still growing, occasionally, you can even get it where they will grow out of it with the use of foot lifts.

You just have to regularly monitor because as the body grows, one will grow longer than the other. Or, one will grow faster than the other. And the body can actually somewhat catch up. This is rare and obviously happens mostly with kids who are still growing. When we see patients with scoliosis, in their adolescence or in adulthood, that ship has sailed. It’s not like a bad haircut where you can just trim the excess.

The Solution

If it’s a leg length inequality scoliosis, many times, the scoliosis responds extremely well to what’s called, a foot lift. It goes in the shoe, and it helps balance the legs out. No matter how talented the chiropractor, though, there is no actual leg growth anymore. So, guys, keep your Bumble profile listed as 5’11, not 6’ft.

Depending on some cases, the foot lift is enough that it completely resolves the scoliosis, but with other patients, we still have to continue with the rehabilitation program, and sometimes, a brace.

Every patient is unique, and we cater to each individual need. Stop waiting until your spine finds more ways to twist and turn, come on in and start the rehabilitation process.

Cheers,

Dr. Paul Fisher