One leg longer than the other

[Jojo20112013]

I took my 5 year old ds to a do a foot clinic today as I've had concerns about the way he walks etc and doctors thought maybe it was due to him having flat feet. The podiatrist did an assessment on it and it was clear that one leg is longer than the other without being measures yet seems about 1.5/2cm we are bow waiting to be referred through the NHS and meant time we have been sent home with excerises to so to try and ease any tension in his leg muscles. Has anyone experience with this? I'm glad we have found the problem but still gutted for him and worried I have left it too late to try and get help for him

You haven’t left it too late he’s only 5 please don’t beat yourself up.
My exh walked a bit differently but not really noticeable. He only ever stood on one leg at a time never both legs bearing full weight when standing still. No one though anything of it.
In his 40 his back started playing up if he lifted heavy objects ( I thought he was lazy)
Anyway eventually found out he had one leg shorter than the other. By about a cm.
Treatment was exercise and avoid lifting.
My ex FIL was a GP and not at all bothered.
I’m not saying it’s nothing! But it’s definitely not too late at all as children adapt much better and you’ve found out very early.

Lots that can be done , physio to relax muscles can sometimes stretch them out. If significant enough surgery can be offered to stop growth plate on one side, orthotic inserts are another option.
I would suggest ensuring that spine and hip alignment are checked. Try not to worry, some leg length discrepancy is normal

Up to 1.5cm is considered normal, if memeoru serves. So I really wouldn’t be panicking, he may even grow out of it. In the mean time do the prescribed stretching and don’t worry

Thanks all for getting back to me. You've made feel bit more at ease. It really doesn't seem to bother him as in no pain etc just struggles with walking longer distances and running. Never experienced it with myself or my husband or ds and again was worried that I should've caught on earlier but I just thought he was walking a bit funny. Thank you

I’m in my 50’s and was diagnosed with one leg shorter than the other when very young. Doctors advised my parents to put me in a built up shoe, they didn’t, The most it’s ever been noticed is I’m slightly knock kneed but few people have ever noticed it!

Thanks dotty. So it defiantly hasn't held you back in anyway then

Okay this is going to sound really paranoid and a bit scary. I had this and it was a spinal condition in which the spine is bent and twisted. Stand in front of him and make him lean forward so that he is at a right angle. If one side of his back is higher than the other, go to the doctor and ask for a diagnosis and referral.

Thanks they did that test of him today and seemed fine that way. Thanks saying tho always worried incase missed something

It could very well be how he balances his hips. When my spin is out of whack I have a longer leg, and I feel it. chiropractor really helps, I run so smooth after a treatment.

An osteopath sorted my son's 'different length legs'. His legs were not different lengths at all, it was his hips that were out of line. Worth investigesting.

My ds had this and had to have orthotics from the hospital to put in his shoes. He is 12 now and doesn't seem to have it any more.

Did they look at his hips? My daughter had a leg length difference at 3 1/2 and it was hip dysplasia.

Yeah, I was going to suggest you get follow up to rule out hip dysplasia and scoliosis.

Thanks everyone I will get his hips looked at too

Dh has a 2.5cm difference. It wasn't picked up as a child and he's only just had it looked at properly (he's 42). He's been told that his hips are that of someone 20 years older due to his uneven gait and he's been referred for physio. He gets frequent back pain that has worsened over time. If work is very physical that day he needs to take painkillers to cope.

He really only began to run into trouble with this in his early 30s so I'm sure it's been picked up on time for your son op. I hope you get some answers and helpful treatment.

I was told yesterday that I have one leg longer than the other by about 1cm. It hasn't bothered me until a few years ago in my late 30s that I started getting back ache-apparently caused by this.

I've got some lifters to put in my shoes.

My twins had hip dysplasia and that's the number one sign for it.

How do they test for hip dysplasia? They felt his hips and did different positions. It was most noticeable that he had different length of legs when lying back with knees up when feet pushed back that one knee was higher than the other. Will know more once referal comes though. I appreciate everyone's help tho

That sounds like a hip issue to me... A hip x-ray would diagnose dysplasia. I would definitely get the X-ray done, dysplasia is highly common and much more common in boys than girls.

One knee being higher in that position is a strong indicator for hip dysplasia. It's called the Galeazzi test. Make sure you get an ortho referral and X-ray. My daughters left hip was totally dislocated and needed major surgery, we had no indication until the leg length difference was noticed, she had started tiptoeing on one side to make her legs equal.

Thanks referal to orthopedics hopefully be within 3 months. If it is hip dysplasia is surgey the only option for it?

Hi, my DD has this an it is only her legs that are different length (ie not a hip issue). It was noticed about the same age as your DS. She has had a quick CT scan at the local hospital mostly every year and has worn a raised shoe from the orthotics department to make up the difference and protect the spine. They were monitoring the difference until she was age 10 to see if it got better, worse etc. Because the gap is bigger that 3 cm she is going to have a small op to stop the growth in her longer leg (age 11). If it has been a smaller difference then they’d have just left it with using a built up shoe.
I hooe that everything goes OK with your DS. Don’t worry that it wasn’t noticed until now.

You could take your DC to a specialist shoe fitter, the could see if they could help in the mean time.

Hopefully it's not hip dysplasia but yes I would have thought that if it is and at his age, surgery is normally the only option. Just to reassure that my daughter is doing amazing and is doing gymnastics 3 years on despite her late diagnosis, Good luck.

Son got shoe inserts to help with the slight in turning of feet. Waiting to get hip xray done with in next 2 weeks and once get result of it hopefully be getting refered to someone who can help. Since writing the first post his walking had become noticeable worse and alot of people started to comment on it. Although still not complaint of pain and able to walk longer distances fingers crossed we are on the right track now to help him