I also have a leg length discrepancy of 2cm! Not visible to others but very to me. It took me years to have it diagnosed and up until then I suffered back spasms and most notably when running or doing a lot of walking a burning sensation in my hip. I’ve also suffered knee problems since teenage years on the longer side and weakness in the longer side. It makes a huge difference having an LLD above a certain length and running/ walking / high activity levels of that sort make it worse unless properly addressed, do to the consistent way in which the entire pelvic girdle is thrown out of alignment. The best solution for me has been as @Hodie said – to elevate the shorter leg with a FLAT sole. If the lady in Angela’s query wants to run barefoot as possible I recommend well fitting water barefoot shoes which are stretchy , and allow a double insole to be placed in the shoe, the other worn without insole.

Russ, how did you learn to adapt your running technique. Can you offer any resources? I’ve started wearing my vibrant all the time. My foot pain is gone, but I still get hip pain and have been told my left leg is 1/2″ longer

Wouldn’t the leg length discrepancies being proven inaccurate need a control measure? How is the error being found? If they are found by x-rays of dead people on tables, then perhaps it could be accurate with a standing x-ray?

Nicole, did you experience any midfoot pain with the lift? I just got fitted today for a 5mm lift in my new orthotics but after reading numerous comments about midfoot pain, I’m concerned.

Thank you for your response! This has been an ongoing issue with 2 different podiatrist. One wanted me to run with the full corrected lift on the bottom of my orthotic which I did. I ended up with a fracture in my foot (3rd met). After 6 weeks of healing Doc decided to try adding 1/2 the amount of my LLD. No fracture although I strained/pulled my TFL and was unable to run another 6 weeks.

I decided to get a second opinion from another podiatrist and he didn’t recommend a lift because of my previous injuries using a heel lift and also based on his visual observation. This doc said I may have a 1/4″ difference at most and that if I want to I could use a 3mm lift if any at all.

Looking at the bottom of my running shoes I heel strike on the longer leg and midfoot strike on my shorter leg. I do believe my body compensates for the difference.

I had no idea that LLD xray studies could be inaccurate by so much.

He is a guru of barefoot running and from my experience running barefoot is the post way to transition to this form, but my no means required so don’t be put off with “barefoot”. His book is great resource and you can listen to his inspiring story in a recent episode of The Living Barefoot Show available on the web or iTunes. It is a worthwhile listen, he went to great lengths and great frustration trying to run pain free prior to discovering a barefoot running form.

That’s very encouraging to hear! I’ve been trying to adapt to the lift however I keep getting injured. It’s frustrating because the Podiatrist and Physical Therapist kept telling me I need orthotics and the lift 24/7. So I try and wear the lift 24/7 and for the past 4 weeks have been only able to bike because of a new injury from wearing the lift. I chucked the lift and orthotics 2 weeks ago. My feet are sore and are certainly getting a workout but I sure feel much better and natural.
Thanks for comments Ben! It really helps!

Maybe one could take a shoe like the Newton Distance that has a
completely flat insole, remove it from the longer side, flip it upside
down and place it under the insole on the shorter side? The Newton
insole is about 5mm, so doubling it up would compensate about 1cm of
the discrepancy.

Pete

On Wednesday, September 29, 2010, Disqus

The only difference that doubling the insole really makes for me is that it helps my smaller foot to fit inside the shoe.  Because my entire left side is smaller, my left foot is about a shoe size smaller than the right.  I don’t buy two separate sizes, so one way to get a better fit is to double the insole and learn how to lace the shoe more snugly. 

I don’t wear any orthotics. 

Have you tried a whole-foot lift instead of just a heel lift?  I would be really concerned about it holding my foot in a different position.  Have you had any gait assessment done to see what you are doing with your longer leg when you are running?  I understand that many people pronate with the long leg to compensate for the extra length. 

If you want to e-mail me at pdworkman@gmail.com, I will send you a couple of studies on LLD and running injury prevention that my physio sent to me.

You asked about minimalist runners with true leg length discrepancy.  This is the only one I have come across in my last few days of research:

http://www.runbare.com/836/3-s…

In his case, unlike ours, this is an adult-onset LLD due to break/surgery, so his body was not used to an LLD.  The study that I can forward to you suggests there is a big difference between the mechanics of someone who has had LLD from childhood and someone with an adult-onset LLD.  The studies also suggest that a lift is not required for someone with an LLD under 2 cm (which is in line with the practices followed by orthopedists treating children with LLD today – a lift is only used in cases where the LLD is 1″ or more.) 

I would also be concerned about only using a lift while running.  Obviously our bodies adjust to different kinds of shoes – different heights, angles, etc. – all the time, but a significant difference in LLD from one shoe to another and from one activity to another doesn’t sound like a good idea to me.  As you might tell, I’m a bit leery of the whole idea of starting a lift this late in life . . .

Pam

 Hi Pam, Can you please give me an update on how you are doing with the lift?  Also what size of a lift are you in now?  What shoe have you found helpful with accommodating the LLD lift?
I know I have a lot of questions it’s that I’m still struggling with finding the right combo and lift.