Leg Length Discrepancy | LLD – Description, Causes and Symptoms

Leg Length Discrepancy or LLD is a condition that affects up to 60% of the population and presents itself when the legs are or appear to be of different lengths. Where the leg length discrepancy is minor, normally under an inch, it tends to go unnoticed and therefore untreated. Larger discrepancies tend to give rise to problems that very are often associated with leg length discrepancy. Fortunately this can often be resolved with little difficulty once a diagnosis has been made.

Leg length discrepancy can be described as either functional (adaptive) or anatomical (structural). The former is when the patients legs are not actually different in length but may appear so due to the patients posture and is much more common. The latter is when the legs are physically different in length.

Anatomical versus Functional Discrepancy

Anatomical or Structural LLDs are the result of a short limb. These can  occur due to a condition existing at birth or developmental causes. Other conditions such as Poliomyelitis or Post-Polio Syndrome, certain post-op patient conditions such as hip replacements, or trauma cases such as a broken leg can lead to a Leg Length Discrepancy that will have to be positively managed. More commonly though, patients will display Leg Length Discrepancies due to biomechanical functional differences.  Examples such as muscular weakness, spinal problems,  loss of flexibility in the ligaments and restricted ranges of motion at joints such as  the hip, knee or ankle  can all lead to the patient compensating for their condition  leading to LLDs. The treatment of Functional LLDs should however not be any different.

Leg Length Discrepancy Causes

Leg Length Discrepancy Symptoms

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