Leg length discrepancy and strength training

[Thomasnicolet]

Hello,
I have gotten confirmed that I have a leg length discrepancy of 2-3 cm (0.8-1.1 inches). I had my squat form checked numerous times, and it didn't make sense that my form would be the cause of the pain I had in the left side of my upper back, which seemed to accumulate no matter what I did.

After a long process, I've finally gotten soles to lift in which should correct it, but I'm still not sure how I should progress. The doctors I have talked to have been oblivious of strength training, so I have a few concerns or questions to vent here:

(1) I still have problems from having had a leg length discrepancy (e.g. tilted pelvis which causes some scoliosis). Strenght programs of course cater to people without chronic problems, which is why I've gotten unsure how I should progress now. The people I talk to either know about leg length differences and scoliosis, or strength training, but usually not both.

I worked up to a 100kg 5 RM squat before I discovered the leg length discrepancy, whereafter I deloaded to save my back some, and now after I got the soles, I'm unsure if I should just do linear progression again, or if I should progress slower.

I got up to a 140kg deadlift at the same time, which didn't seem to bother my back too much, but I still deloaded, as I didn't want to take chances lifting with uneven leg lengths. Now as I got the soles, I don't know how fast I can progress, as I might still have problems from having the leg length discrepancy, that isn't fixed instantly just by adjusting the leg length. Deadlifts feel less stressful for my problem areas, but I'm not sure if I can focus more on deadlifts than squats, as it's often said that squat benefit from volume while deadlifts doesn't. (While squats, especially above bodyweight, seem to aggrevate back pain).

(2) I've started doing front squats to work on thoracic extension and perhaps save me from some of the problems a back squat with more forward lean might cause me, and I'd like to know if or how I can substitute the front squat for the back squat in a program like Starting Strength, or change between them. When people ask about front squats as correcting for back squat forward lean, people tend to answer that you should just back squat better. I'd like to focus on deadlifts and front squats, but I'm unsure how to program something like that, as the back squat usually is the stable of all strength programs.

My frustration is that I would like to avoid long term injury, spinal arthritis and the like, but I'd also like to lift weights, which I know I'm very capable at. I'd like to know if there is any proven methods or programs to work around scoliosis, for example. So far, I've just gone a little lighter, with greater depth and sometimes pause reps.


Sorry for the wall of text, I'm just a little agitated.
Regards, Thomas

[Tom Campitelli]

Howdy Thomas,

Firstly, I approve of your first name. Good choice. Having a short leg is a relatively common thing. Several of my trainees have them. Something like 1/3rd of the population has a leg length discrepancy of between 0.5 and 1.5 cm. You are in good company. Just because you have a short leg does not mean that you cannot train. If your back is mildly pissed by all of this, get a belt and be conservative with loading. It will adjust and adapt as you lift. Now that you have a shim in your shoe, things should start feeling better. If you are near a Starting Strength Coach, seek them out and have them make sure you are lifting correctly. Eat, lift, and be merry.

[Michael Wolf]

Firstly, I approve of your first name. Good choice.

This kind of blatant favoritism has no place on this board.

[Gwyn Brookes]

After a long process, I've finally gotten soles to lift in which should correct it, but I'm still not sure how I should progress.

Hi Thomas,

It's hard to tell from the above sentence whether you actually have shimmed the short leg as Mr. Campitelli refers to above (shim should provide the same rise from heel to toe), or whether you are wearing prescribed orthotics. It should be the former.

[Tom Campitelli]

This kind of blatant favoritism has no place on this board.

You make a strong point, Comrade. However, as we both know, "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

[Tom Campitelli]

Mr. Campitelli

I like the sound of this.

[mrflibble]

Thomas, do you know if the short segment is tibia or femur? It'd be worth knowing, as if it's the latter, shimming will level the hips (and ideally spine) but still leave the knees uneven. (It'll still be worth doing either way of course).

Have you ever broken a leg?

[Thomasnicolet]

I had typed up a reply days ago, but it didn't send it seems. I'll try again.

First, thanks for the replys.
Mr. Campitelli, I know the normal discrepancy is 0-1 cm, but having 2-3 cms of difference, I'm quite out from the normal deviation. Thanks for your advice, I'll try and see if there are any SS coaches here. Conservative loading is something I've done since I got it diagnosed, but it can be hard to determine exactly what is proper. My legs are stronger than what my body can handle, and it's a grey area between butchering my pelvis, lower and upper back, or handling weights too far below my max, not making progress. I do have a belt, and I've used it especially on deadlift. At the moment, I've deloaded so much that I don't wear it at the moment.

Mr. Brookes, I've gotten a 'sole', a thing I put in my shoes which correct for my different leg lengths. They're the maximum thickness for those soles.

Mr. Flibble, I don't know what is longer. I haven't broken a leg before.

Thanks again for the help guys. Could anyone give some advice on how to incorporate front squats into SS? or an SS style program. I'd like to perhaps do front squats on the day I deadlift.
As for now, my plan is to keep adding weight from here (I deloaded to 50/60kg on squat/DL when I got the soles), and then hope that in 2-3 months time, when my lifts will come near my old PR's, that the soles have corrected me so much that the discomfort in my back will have subsided. I also have a checkup time with the main doctor in November, to see if I still have problems then.

Regards, Thomas

[Gwyn Brookes]

Mr. Brookes, I've gotten a 'sole', a thing I put in my shoes which correct for my different leg lengths. They're the maximum thickness for those soles.

The potential issue here is that you don't want the corrective sole to change the degree of dorsiflexion available at the ankle by adding more height to the heel than it does to the forefoot.

[Gwyn Brookes]

Mr. Brookes, I've gotten a 'sole', a thing I put in my shoes which correct for my different leg lengths. They're the maximum thickness for those soles.

To clarify, a lift that is greater under the heel than it is under the forefoot will cause a different angle of the shank relative to the floor. It's like wearing a shoe with a higher heel on one foot. A higher heel allows for more forward knee travel on that side. You want a shim that is the same thickness under the heel as the forefoot.

My earlier post was a bit confusing. I hope this is clearer.