Short leg syndrome

The main characteristic of short leg syndrome is the fact that the length of one lower limb is shorter relative to the other. This phenomenon is quite common. It is considered interesting that most people (90% of the population) have one leg shorter by one centimeter relative to the other. If the difference is greater, the patient may have deformed pelvic bones, a curved spine, osteochondrosis, lameness and other orthopedic pathologies.

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Causes short leg syndrome

There are two main causes of short leg syndrome:

• Anatomical - intraosseous changes occur in the pelvis or lower limbs, which lead to the length of one leg decreasing or increasing in relation to the other.
• Functional - a strong tension arises in the sacroiliac joints, which causes one side of the pelvis to be pulled upward, which, in turn, lifts one of the legs.

The treatment depends on the type and causes of the pathology. Thus, with an anatomical type of syndrome, the only way out will be surgical or orthopedic intervention. With functional causes of the disease, manual therapy can help.

Also, the reasons for the development of short leg syndrome include:

• Congenital (clubfoot, dislocation of the foot).
• Birth injuries, congenital hip dislocation received during childbirth.
• Various inflammations (for example, tuberculosis).
• Paralysis.
• Benign and malignant tumors of the musculoskeletal system.
• Injuries in adults, including fractures or dislocations of the lower limb.
• Hip or knee surgery.

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Pathogenesis

This disease "forces" the load on the intervertebral discs to be distributed unevenly. Over time, this can lead to serious problems:

• Pathological curvature of the spine (scoliosis).
• The pelvis twists.
• The 5th lumbar vertebra rotates.
• The sacroiliac joint on the opposite side is locked.

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Symptoms short leg syndrome

Many people do not even notice that one leg is shorter than the other in themselves, their friends or children. Especially if their length differs by only a couple of centimeters. Finding out whether you suffer from short leg syndrome is quite simple. Put on your pants and stand up straight. If one leg is shorter, then you are in the 90% of all people who suffer from this disease.

Also, when walking, one leg will constantly step on the end of the other leg. This pathology especially complicates the development of children. If a child has one leg even slightly shorter than the other, this can cause severe pain in the lumbar region. In this case, the pain will be distributed throughout the leg, right up to the knee joint.

Other symptoms may include:

• Knee pain.
• Sciatica.
• Discomfort when walking and running.
• Pain in the feet and ankles.
• Fatigue.

Complications and consequences

The main danger of this disease is considered to be the fact that even some specialists do not have a proper understanding of it. Often doctors do not attach importance to the short leg syndrome, but it greatly affects the correct development of children. Especially when one leg is shorter than the other by 6-7 centimeters.

Even small changes in the length of the legs lead to the child’s pelvic bones becoming out of alignment and the spinal column becoming curved.

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Diagnostics short leg syndrome

As mentioned above, many doctors do not diagnose "short leg syndrome" even with a significant difference. If you have conducted an experiment with trousers at home (which was described a little above) and noticed changes, you should immediately contact a traumatologist. To diagnose the syndrome in small children, you need to lay them on their back and straighten their legs.

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Differential diagnosis

Very often, when examining a child or adult with short leg syndrome, an incorrect diagnosis is made - osteochondrosis or lumbago. If the diagnosis was incorrect, treatment will only help get rid of the pain that accompanies the patient, but not from its cause.

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Treatment short leg syndrome

Soft manual therapy is usually used to treat functional short leg syndrome. Its main difference from traditional medicine is that it is completely safe, effective and efficient. Sometimes, after just one or two sessions, the slight difference in leg length completely disappears. In the process of leg length correction, professional manual therapists do not exert too deep an impact, so this technique is suitable even for treating infants.

Mild cases of short leg syndrome can be corrected with orthopedic shoes.

Foam resin or orthotic shoe adjustments may be used for moderate discrepancies.

Surgical treatment

If the short leg syndrome is due to an anatomical cause, the only way out of the situation is surgical treatment. The operation helps to surgically lengthen the shorter leg. This method of treatment is used only if there is too obvious a discrepancy between the lower limbs and the torso.

Today, surgeons can lengthen the leg from the shin by 6 centimeters, and from the hip by 10 centimeters. The operation begins with cutting the skin, tissues and bones in the leg. The parts of the bone that were separated are connected with special spokes, and then fixed from above with a special Elizarov apparatus.

This is only the first step towards recovery. Then, an experienced doctor "pulls" the bone fragments in opposite directions by one millimeter every day. After the device is removed, the patient must undergo difficult rehabilitation (therapeutic exercises and physiological procedures).

Structural leg discrepancy can be corrected with surgical epiphysiodesis. This treatment is aimed at correcting pelvic tilt, gait, and postural aberration.

Forecast

Even if one leg of the patient is much shorter than the other, the prognosis is favorable. Thanks to modern treatment methods (leg lengthening surgeries and manual therapy), even severe pathologies can be easily corrected.