Leg Length Inequality or Short Leg Syndrome is the conditions where the legs of a child are in different lengths. Most of the children have slightly different lengths of leg that might not cause any major troubles but when this difference is big enough, then it is very important to go for the proper treatment. The short leg syndrome is having one of their legs shorter than other and it will result in various problems like back pain, knee, hip, and foot pain. So, it is very important that you consider treating it at the earliest.

What are the causes of Short Leg Syndrome?

Short Leg Syndrome is generally caused by the different bone sizes and lengths or deficits between both the legs that are intact structurally. Short Leg Syndrome can be classified in two forms and they are Anatomic & Functional. In anatomic SLS, one leg will be structurally shorter than other because of the differences in the bone length. In functional SLS hand, your legs seem to have the different lengths but intact structurally. It is generally caused by the ligamentous, muscular, and other injuries and dysfunction.

There are a few cases, where leg length discrepancy cause is “not known”. Whereas the real cause of this condition might not be known, unless you consult the healthcare expert who has specialization in the short leg syndrome can help you to choose the right treatment place for your condition.

How is Short Leg Syndrome Diagnosed?

Your first step to diagnose SSL is taking out the medical history & physical test by your orthopedic surgeon. In this test exam, the pediatric doctor will take the measurements of the child’s legs and with the help of a block will balance the pelvis. They might observe your child walking, just to understand the signs your child is suffering from the condition. Your doctor might ask the child to stand straight with one block under their shorter leg just to check out the correction that appears best. After that they will decide the length and other factors before suggesting any kind of treatment to you. However, in a few cases, your doctor will suggest you to take x-ray and other imaging tests that will help you give the exact measurement of this discrepancy.

Possible symptoms of Short Leg Syndrome

It’s quite common for anybody to compensate for the discrepancy in the leg length, functional or anatomical. It is observed that compensation can place some unnatural stress on your body that includes various body parts that are not related to SSL– from your feet to jaw. 

Possible symptoms include:

• Posture problems 
• Joint pain in knees, hips, back and jaw
• Ligament damage 
• Limited motion in knees and hips 
• Nerve pain at the lower back & legs
• Knee pain 
• Fatigue
• Jaw pain