If you’re considering or have had knee or hip replacement surgery, you may have heard that it can result in a difference in leg lengths.
In this article, we’ll discuss what leg length deficiency is, how it can result from joint replacement surgery, and how a heel lift can help with pain and discomfort.
What is a Leg Length Deficiency?
A leg length deficiency (also called a leg length discrepancy) means simply that there is a difference in the lengths of a person’s legs. While typically undetectable by the naked eye, medical professionals can measure limb lengths, analyze your gait, or do an x-ray or CT scan to confirm if a discrepancy is present.
How Could a Join Replacement Procedure Change My Leg Length?
According to Mayo Clinic, there are a few reasons you may have one leg shorter than the other after a joint replacement procedure. In the case of a hip replacement specifically, potential causes include arthritis, medical conditions that affect the spine (such as scoliosis), or soft tissue changes.
What Signs Should I Watch for Following My Surgery?
A leg length deficiency can have a variety of effects. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms after recovering from your joint replacement surgery, please contact your doctor.
- Difficulty walking or running
- Lower back and hip pain
- Tiring quickly when walking
- Limping when walking
- When standing or walking, you tire more quickly on one side
- Your level of discomfort gets worse after standing or walking
- You feel like you have lost muscle tone and walk with more of a “swing the leg” gait rather than lifting your leg evenly from one side to the other
- Feeling like your ribcage or hips are forward on one side more than the other
- If someone stands behind you and observes you walking, they notice your belt line or shoulders might not be completely level with the ground
- Your pain is more severe on one side
What Do I Do if My Legs Are Uneven?
An unevenness in leg lengths is relatively easy to treat. The most noninvasive and readily available treatment is to use a heel lift. A heel lift is a shoe insert that slides into your shoe to elevate the shorter leg. By restoring balance and evening out your gait, it eases the stress being put on the shorter leg.
What Heel Lift is Right for Me?
While there are many heel lifts on the market, be sure to choose one that is durable, adjustable, and available in different widths to ensure a comfortable fit, like the original Adjust-A-Lift® Heel Lift.
For more than 40 years, the unique design has often been imitated by knockoff products. It’s also important to note that since you’ll need just one lift to correct uneven leg lengths, ours are sold individually. Their design allows for a comfortable fit in either the left or right shoe.
We also encourage you to check out the Adjustable Heel Lift Ankle Sock, which
allows you to use a heel lift when barefoot or with open footwear like flip-flops and sandals. It’s a practical solution for people who need heel height adjustments but prefer more freedom than traditional footwear allows.
All Warwick products are made with high-quality materials in the United States to provide you with long-lasting pain relief.
Understanding leg length differences after a joint replacement is essential for managing discomfort and improving daily life. By recognizing the causes, symptoms, and treatment options like heel lifts, individuals with a difference in their leg lengths can find relief and improved mobility.