Support for visual gait analysis... with respect to leg length discrepancies
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image credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/eye-blue-eyelashes-vision-make-up-691269/
We talk about leg length discrepancies all the time here on the blog and sometimes, how small discrepancies cause changes in peoples biomechanics. The gold standard for measuring a leg length difference is full length lower extremity X ray, but this presents a problem due to the ionizing radiation, accessibility as well as impracticality of X rays every person with a suspected difference.
We have talked about different compensations as to how to get around a leg length discrepancies. Last week we actually did a tell a seminar on this entire subject. Your patient or client needs to “create clearance” for the longer leg side. This can be accomplished in many ways.
The 5 most common strategies (keep in mind there are many more) are:
lean the torso to the short leg side (essentially hip adduction of the longer side)
hike the torso on the long leg side
circumduct the longer lower extremity
increase plantar flexion of the calf of the short leg side
increase hip and knee flexion on the longer leg side
And that is exactly what this study found. They looked at kinematics in people with anatomical leg length discrepancies and found that hip adduction as well as increased hip and knee flexion were 2 variables that were consistent in folks with anatomical differences and suggest these variables are a useful screening tool.
Paying attention to how people move and looking for asymmetries. In our opinion, that’s the name of the game : )
Dr Ivo Waerlop, on of The Gait Guys
Zeitoune G, Nadal J, Batista LA, Metsavaht L, Moraes AP, Leporace G.Prediction of mild anatomical leg length discrepancy based on gait kinematics and linear regression model. Gait Posture. 2019 Jan;67:117-121. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2018.09.027. Epub 2018 Sep 29.
#LLD #leglengthdifference #leglengthinequality #visualgaitanalysis #thegaitguys #gaitanalysis
