Help please...Leg discrepancy of 1 to 1 1/2 inches????? - Back Problems Message Board

ddanna · 11-25-2003, 12:07 PM

Help me somebody!!! I know I have seen posts by Cinderella, Plymouth & Bikerchick regarding this problem and I'd like to see if any of you or any others can help me out. One orthopedic dr. told me that my right leg is shorter than the left by 1 1/2 in. and a second orthopedic said it was more like just 1 inch.

Well, I had a simple 1/2 in. heel lift made that I wear in my shoe and I have been using it for about a month. It's the kind that is only for under my heel; it does not go to the base of my toes like Plymouth said (in a different thread) a heel lift should. I have had just some relief of the pain in my entire right leg because before the lift it was starting to get real bad but the pain isn't completely gone or even gone enough to not need medication. And the pain around my knee, hip, buttocks and right quadrant area is still just as bad as before.

I read that a member said something about her pain is like a dagger stuck in her SI joint and I guess that's what my right quad. pain feels like (only I'm not real positive where the SI joint is??). I've always told drs that it feels like a knife is in that area. I have found things on the internet that have shown pictures of the pain zones for problems with Iliopsoas and Quadratus Lumborum and these are some of the areas where I hurt.

I've been trying to get to Physical Therapy. At my last appt. they used the Tens machine, I believe is what it's called, where they put those sticker things on your pain areas and then turn on the stimulator machine. Well, I think the PT put the stickers on the exact areas because as I was laying on my left side and the stickers were on my right, my whole right hip would totally move forward when the machine got to the highest level. My exact side pain was replicated for a couple seconds as it was on it's highest level and I would think, "I can't take this" but then it would drop back down and I'd be fine til the next "contraction".

PT is having me do stomach tightening exercises and stretches since my right leg is extremely tight. After I stretch it I have to slowly get it back to a resting position because it hurts too much. I also have to do this after I've been sitting Indian style for any length of time...I have to get up and straighten my leg real slow because it's so stiff. I used to be very limber and this whole situation with my leg is so different to me.

The PT also told me that my pelvis keeps being rotated but even after they try to correct it, by my next appt. it's back to being crooked again. A chiropractor told me that I have mild scoliosis and I don't know for me, which came first. I've also been told that I was born with this weird thing in my right hip area (forget what he called it) and the chiro thought that could be the reason for the leg difference.

If I stand in front of a mirror naked, I can totally see the difference in, excuse me here, my vagina and from behind, my butt cheeks. My right side for front & back are lower! If I put a shoe on with the heel lift then look in the mirror, it's pretty close to being normal. But right now I still have the 1/2 in. lift and I'm waiting to get the full 1 in. lift made so with that one it should be perfectly even.

I get more pain when I sit for longer periods of time...like now, I keep having to change my postion from right buttcheek to left buttcheek, and also if I stand for long periods of time my leg will start throbbing and aching or burning and I will feel the right side pain more pronounced. And I absolutely cannot lay or sleep on my right side.

Anyway, what I would like to know from any of you, is this:

1. Am I messing myself up by not having the heel lift that goes to my toes?
2. Do you think I could be having myofascial pain in my right quad. area?
3. What can be done to keep my pelvis in the proper place?
4. Is there anything else that Phys. Therapy should be having me do?
5. What if I wear the correct shape & size heel lift but still don't get better?
Is there other tests that can be done or should I just go back to the super
nice orthopedic dr?

Basically, if anyone has any input for me, I will appreciate it. I don't know why it took til I was 40 to find all this out...I never had any problems or pain as I was growing up & playing sports! I do walk with an exaggerated wiggle though...the boys in school used to always tease me about it! I want to thank those who read this super long (boring) post of mine and hopefully down the road now that I'll be posting here, I can be of some help to someone also.

Take care and thanks again! ddanna

MPT · 11-29-2003, 08:41 AM

Ddanna,
Hi. I have a discrepency of an 1/8 of an inch which used to be an inch and a half. Mine was from tight muscles and not from bone. Are you sure that yours is from bone and not muscle? But it does sound like it is from bone (your spine) or (hip) since you walked different since when you were young.
Did you get x-rays of your spine/hips or any MRI's yet? Scoliosis could definitely give you a discrepency. A hip problem could as well. I think a full heel lift done by a professional orthotist would help significantly.
I think what they are doing in therapy sounds about right. Are they doing any pulling of your leg that is shorter. My therapist called it a shotgun where they pull the leg hard and quick. I know this sound bad but actually it helped lengthen my leg and I felt so good afterwards. As far as your leg returning back to the shorten position upon your next PT visit, I think you have to give it more time. Mine took a few months. I also was very good about doing the stretches at home (quadraceps, illopsoas, back muscles, calf muscles). This is very important. Also, they could do ultrasound on the illopsoas and quadracep to help with the stretching and pain.
You probably do have myofascial pain. That usually comes along with tight muscles.
The therapist should be doing some manual therapy on you like what I mentioned before about pulling your leg. Also, laying on your back with your knees bent, the therapist puts his arm between your legs and you squeeze your legs together and the opposite (the therapist tries to close your legs and you resist him or her by trying to open your legs. This is all part of trying to get your pelvic in correct allignment.
Sounds like the doc, therapist, and chiropractor all are telling you good bits of info. concerning your problem.
If you don't like the current ortho., go to another and get an second opinion. If you only knew how many docs I have seen in the past few months. But it was all worth it for me because so far I have avoid surgery.
Good luck. Let me know if I can answer any other questions for you.
MPT

ddanna · 12-02-2003, 06:31 PM

Thank you so much, MPT!!! I can't write back to you right now but tomorrow I will have more to say to you and some questions regarding you fixing your discrepancy. Talk to you tomorrow, ddanna

ddanna · 12-03-2003, 02:50 PM

Hello MPT,

Thanks again for your informative post...I am going to copy it for the physical therapist because I can never remember how to explain things the way they were explained to me!! I want to check into the tight muscles being the cause of my pain...when I stretch my legs, the right one hurts a lot while the left one feels like a nice, good stretch. I've had them tell me in the past that the muscles around the lower right quadrant area of my stomach are really tight. I have cried during the therapy when they have to push in on that area of my stomach.

When I walk, I do have a wiggle but no limp; even before I started wearing the heel lift I never had a limp. I guess the heel lift eased some of the right leg pain but not the right quadrant area pain. If I stand for too long though, my right leg will start bothering me no matter if I am wearing the lift.

I have only had an MRI of my back in 1999. That just showed a bulging disc at L5-S1. I do some stretches at home but not as often as I guess I should. They have only showed me a few so far. If I do have any myofascial pain, how would it be diagnosed? I believe my referral to PT was supposed to include massaging but no one has offered it; I will be asking at my next appt tho.

I have had the therapist pull my leg during treatment. At my last appt I got the feeling that the therapist was scratching her head about why I have this problem. She noticed there was clicking noises coming from my right hip area but didn't say what it could be or anything, just seemed concerned. I guess I need to get your post and a bunch of questions together to bring to my next appt.

Can you explain to me in further detail how your leg disc. was discovered and all you went thru to get it back to being pretty close to your other leg length? I've been to a ton of dr. appts as well, so I do know what you mean about that. What do you think was the cause of your muscles on the one side to become sooo tight that it would change your leg lengths?

Well, I hope you have time to answer my questions. I look forward to hearing what you have to say. Have a good day!

Ddanna

CINDERELLA · 12-03-2003, 10:54 PM

I have had back pain for 8 years and still trying to find out why. I have a mild rotation of the spine and my left hip is about 8mm higher in xray, however no one thinks this is the cause of my pain. I have had physio, chiro, osteopath, massage, podiatrist and 2 back surgeons. The podiatrist said my right leg is the same length as the left but functions shorter, she doesnt want to give me a lift as she says my body will have compensated, but i say it hasnt because of the pain, chronic muscle tightness and now my spine is tilting more and has bulging discs, bone dessication etc etc. I cant get anyone to help me. The surgeons insult me by saying my xrays look ok. My right shoulder is also lower. I have tried stretching for years but nothing works. I am now trying a shoe lift, I am starting with a low one as I dont really know what the difference is. I too have spent a lot of time on the internet looking up short leg stuff, there are different opinions on it, some say the body can cope with a shorter leg and others say a small difference can cause a lot of pain. I wish you good luck, I have spent a LOT of money and have no results, I am pretty angry about it.