TMPHBITEU
If you know you have a leg length discrepancy, why must a doctor of some type confirm this for you?Originally Posted by brandon24
Member
I think an x-ray is the only way to confirm it. I got x-rayed and it was confirmed I had a 1cm LLD. I have custom orthotics I wear in everything. I don't have squat shoes yet, just wear cross trainers(ducks), so I'll need to work on something when I get the squat shoes..
Member
First. I failed my last LP again. No squats and deads now. maybe till after surgery. But I'll try again before.
From what I read and experienced myself, some people need a little help even with just acknowledging their LLD for a fact.
Orthopedists told me over and over my LLD was just 5mm (apparently this is a threshold where they can just tell you to get with it).
And that was after I asked them to measure again because I was almost sure it has to be more.
One yelled at me: "The bubblelevel does not lie!" (translation) They all primitively measured with a single shim (5mm, what a coincident) and a
bubblelevel at the hip, me standing still. No movement.
Internet searches led me to countless claims that (most) LLds are not real at all. As i wrote a chiro told me that too. For him it was all about the atlas (first vertebra).
He didn't measure at all. "I can already see your head is atilt in 3 dimensions, no need to measure the legs."(translation)
My own experiments showed a difference of 11- 16mm. I couldn't get it more exact myself. As posture and movement patterns where compromised
for years I couldn't differentiate a symmetric squat(as an example) from a slightly crooked one. To much scoliotic tension. Form check early on maybe
would have been a way to go.
The method for measuring my new doc used on me seems to work quite well (as the shimming+ squatting with an experienced coach probably does):
First, lying down, "cracking" the spine to loosen tensions.
Then, standing, shimming the foot. Doc sits behind looking at my back, holding the hip.I bend over slowly (knees straight), concentrating on every single vertebra.
The spine makes little bows to the sides at some points of the ROM. These bows get smaller the more exact the shim evens out the LLD. And they
change direction when the shim gets bigger than needed. He shimmed 10mm, 12mm, 13mm (all vertebras aligned here),
15mm, 14mm, 13mm (for double checking).
Checking which segment is shortened is easy. Sit on the ground. Tibias vertical with planted feet. Check knee heights. Could be both segments of course.
Maybe Brandon, you mail/call some doctors offices and ask the if they are experienced with exact measurement of LLDs.
Don't ask the ones who earn their salary by adjusting people, at least not only them.
Maybe we start a thread in the repetitive Inquiries section to get an ongoing discussion.
I have quite a lot questions for some forum members and would myself answer the easy Qs for the LLD newbs. (Got a feeling Rip don't want to read the same stuff about LLDs all that often).
Tomorrow i see the doc. hope he now agrees that surgery is indicated.
Thanks Rip for your opinion. Usually people think the idea is insane.
And please excuse my english.
+to Brandon
I just read all your post. You definitely need a little help. Maybe a coach and some new cues. Probably an exact measurement of your legs and if indicated
a shoe shim. For me, the press, bench and chins(I could cue myself straight on the latter two, but not as effectively) where fucked too before I got the shim.
TMPHBITEU
Why? The bones are only shorter when viewed in X-Ray?
Member
I meant it's the indisputable way in order to quiet people who might want to suggest other causes for hip/lower back pain. (MRI or something else may be able to do it as well--just something more than an eyeball test.)
Plus the x-rays also helped give insurance company no reason to deny paying for my custom orthotics.
Also, not that this has anything to do with that point, but from my experience, docs tend to dismiss anything less than 2 cm as "live with it" type stuff. My xray with 1 cm made it really apparent as to why I had lower back pain.
TMPHBITEU
This is because doctors never consider the effects of asymmetrical spinal loading. After all, why would you want to lift heavy weights?
Member
Hi Rip
Would you please comment one more time on my case?
I just got the surgery prescribed.
I will meet a surgeon next week.
The LLd is 13mm. 2mm in the tibia. 11 mm in the femur.
From what I understand a shortening of the femur of 11mm, leaving a tibial difference of 2mm which I could shim would be one way. An other cut on the tibia for just 2mm does not sound reasonable to me. This would leave me with equal segments (when shimmed), but a remaining LLD of 2mm.
An other way would be a total equalization of the leg lengths by shortening the femur 13mm. This of course would leave the knees asymmetric by 2mm. But no shim or insole will ever be needed again. ( In case A I would definitely even out the 2mm in all shoes because the hip is a already a little battered due to the last years walking around and lifting without a shim. I notice 2mm distinctly)
I guess you would decide for the first option right?
As I am not a professional lifter/coach i am tempted to go for the latter.
I know there is not much data on this, but any thoughts would be appreciated very much.
All this seems kinda obvious to me too. But better save than sorry so I asked.
Thorrrsten
TMPHBITEU
If it was my leg, I'd have the femur corrected only. You can live with a 2mm tibial discrepancy. Or you might consider just leaving both of them as is, and live with the discrepancy. This will be painful surgery.
Member
Got it. Thank you very much.
Member
I should've chose better wording for that. I should have said ALMOST positive. Given my Press, Bench Press, and Squat are not 100% symmetrical, and that I'm experiencing minor lower back pain, I would assume that I have a LLD.
I don't think I have any neurological problems, but I will follow up with an orthopedic surgeon to confirm this, or would you think that would be a dumb idea? (Did have a minor tricep tear, been healed for a year now).
Also, it's my right leg that I believe is shorter. I love barbell training so much, I spend so much time on filming my sets trying to fix things, it's come to the point where Im obsessed haha.
What are your thoughts as to what I should do Rip?
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