Does your lower back hurt? – One leg may be shorter than the other!
When a patient comes in with lower back pain it is usually centered on one side or another. The pain is often based in the sacroiliac joint. The sacroiliac joint can be found by locating the dimples of the lower back.
Usually, one leg or the other will be functionally short. It can be due to posture issues, tight muscles, environmental stressors, or even fallen aches in the feet. Functional shortness of the leg is different than anatomically short which is a structural defect that cannot be corrected and is a product of birth. It can be due to a hip disorder, a shorter bone, or a fracture in the past. Structurally shortened legs can be managed simply by using a heel lift in the shoe.
A functionally shortened leg length is temporary and managed using the chiropractic side posture lumbar adjustment. Here is the test: Your doctor will have you stand on two scales at the same time. The result is that the patient will be heavier on the short leg side because they must lean to maintain balance. The weight distribution difference in right and left averages 5-10 pounds.
The patient is then placed onto their side with the short leg side facing up; a lumbar roll is performed to rotate the pelvis. The patient is then placed face down and leg length is re-measured. Leg length discrepancy will usually be corrected. Reweighing shows the correction.
These results help the patient walk with a more even gate taking undue pressure off of the rest of the body. This allows back pain to diminish and fade and the body to heal.
If you are experiencing lower back pain, knee pain, hip pain, or ankle issues you may have short leg syndrome. Give the office of Kaster Chiropractic a call in Fort Myers, Florida at 239-332-2555 and schedule your consultation and adjustment. www.kasterchiropractic.com