Often chiropractors are heard saying that a patient has a short leg, and then after they are adjusted the short leg is corrected. This has created a lot of confusion over the years so let me explain a bit about what this process is.
There are two types of short legs: 1 – Functional short legs. 2 – Structural short legs.
1 – A functional short leg – With this type of short leg, bad posture, or tension in your back creates the appearance of a short leg when you are lying prone. This is the type of ‘short leg’ that a chiropractic adjustment will correct. The adjustment will remove the tension, or realign your posture and as a result the leg length will level.
2 – A true short leg. This means that the bones in one leg are shorter that the bones in the other leg. In a fully grown adult, no amount of chiropractic adjusting or therapy will change this but it does need attention as it has significant effects on the individual’s spine. Having a true short leg forces your back to compensate, and creates uneven weight bearing on each leg which can cause hip, knee or ankle pain as well as back pain, and premature wear and tear in these joints. In the long term the only way to deal with this is with a heel/shoe lift which creates an artificial levelling of the leg length. This reduces the effect of the short leg on the spine and other joints. However, if you have had a short leg for a long time then chiropractic adjustments may be needed to improve the function and flexibility of your spine so that you can actually wear the heel lift comfortably.
There are two types of short legs: 1 – Functional short legs. 2 – Structural short legs.
1 – A functional short leg – With this type of short leg, bad posture, or tension in your back creates the appearance of a short leg when you are lying prone. This is the type of ‘short leg’ that a chiropractic adjustment will correct. The adjustment will remove the tension, or realign your posture and as a result the leg length will level.
2 – A true short leg. This means that the bones in one leg are shorter that the bones in the other leg. In a fully grown adult, no amount of chiropractic adjusting or therapy will change this but it does need attention as it has significant effects on the individual’s spine. Having a true short leg forces your back to compensate, and creates uneven weight bearing on each leg which can cause hip, knee or ankle pain as well as back pain, and premature wear and tear in these joints. In the long term the only way to deal with this is with a heel/shoe lift which creates an artificial levelling of the leg length. This reduces the effect of the short leg on the spine and other joints. However, if you have had a short leg for a long time then chiropractic adjustments may be needed to improve the function and flexibility of your spine so that you can actually wear the heel lift comfortably.
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