Limb length discrepancy

[Sebastian Schneider]

Hello folks,

we had a little chat about this topic going on in the F1 forum. Since we were talking about different things I considered it might be best to start a new topic for this on the general forums.

 

Alright so here are my problems:

 

1. A 3d diagnostic has shown a significant length discrepancy at around 2cm (3/4" ).

2. On my "longer" leg i also have a hip dysplasia

3. Sometimes massiv backpain between my shoulder blades (and dislocation of vetreba it seems) when I breakdance/tumble/trick without shoes

 

 

Things that worked for me:

 

1. Physio therapy (fixing the vertrebas that arent in the right place)

2. Dorn Method (It seemed that the length discrepancy almost got nullified, problem is it comes back when you dont do it on a regular basis)

3. A little wedge in my shoe ~1-2 cm. (This is really helpful when I am going for long jogging trips and stuff)

 

 

Now you know something about my little problems. It would be great if some others could post things that worked for them. My main problem at the moment is that I dont really know how to fix the barefood problem at the gymnastic center. I cant wear shoes in there because of the ground but doing it without shoes kinda hurts. I need something in between shoes with a wedge and barefood... like really thick socks?

If you have any ideas it would be great if we could get some information in this thread.

 

 

[Larry Roseman]

My right leg is about 1/2" longer than my left. And my left foot about a half size larger than my right!

 

I do feel the difference sometimes however I'm led to believe that the body can adjust to this

size discrepancy. For a while I believed various injuries were due to it, however in retrospect

I believe they were more due to lack of core strength and poor form, initially.

 

Can't speak to a 3/4" size difference specifically, or tricking. But most bodies are just is never going to be

perfectly balanced or 100% symmetrical. If you can't do something without severe pain, avoid doing it;

train other things and come back to it at a later date. Your body may be able to handle it then. Or not.

[Joshua Naterman]

When you have long-term issues like this, the therapy should not be viewed as a short term solution. It is an every day thing. Limb length discrepancies can definitely be caused by hip misalignment, and if you have structural dysplasic issues then you are exactly like someone who has a damaged shoulder labrum: You are simply going to have to do specific exercises every day in order to stay pain-free and healthy.

 

As an example, I have to do quite a number of shoulder exercises every day to keep my shoulders healthy, and that's just a part of my life. I don't have any labral damage, but this is what makes me feel the best, so it is what I do.  A nice side effect is that it is making me stronger in a lot of ways

 

 

Long term corrections that will actually lead to a more stable, less dysfunctional body are going to include specific stretches, often in unequal set and rep counts, for each side of the body. It will also usually include specific daily maintenance exercises. Sometimes this is considered to be "rehab" but that's a bad term, because it implies that you will, at some point, no longer need them. For you, that is probably not true, just as it is probably not true for me either.

 

The best course of action for all of us, but especially you and me, is to make a lifestyle adjustment. Specific maintenance shoulder work is just what I do every day. It is who I am now, and this keeps me pain free and able to get stronger and healthier.

 

There is no use in fighting this, because your body will simply continue the cycle of relapse until you commit to a lifestyle that supports a less painful, more functional body. Dorn method may be a part of this, but manipulations do not reprogram your nervous system's recruitment of muscles. Muscles are what move your body, so if you don't reprogram these with intelligent stretching and therapeutic exercise, you are always going to experience relapse.

[Chris Hobbs]

I posted in the F1 thread a short summary of what I am sure to wear my shoes when performing currently. I think you will need to do something similar. If there are certain motions that you can't do without it being a problem then you will either have to skip them at that facility and do them elsewhere, or get special permission to use your shoes during those movements. 

 

So, I would start trying to zone in on the movements that are causing you pain when done without your shoes and see what type of corrective strategy you can use. 

 

As has been mentioned, quite a few (if not post) people have some type of structural difference in their body and the body should be able to accommodate this imbalance. That it isn't is due to the compensations already being at their limit. Figuring out what needs to be stretched, and what needs to be strengthened though is the key - as you address those problems your body's ability to deal with the difference should return, but as Josh indicated this is something you will likely have to stay on top of forever since it is an actual physical difference, and not just a result of imbalanced muscular tightness.

 

- Chris