What a Shorter Leg Tells Me About Your Spine

You may have seen adjustments in our social media videos and noticed that before, during and after an adjustment, I go to the end of the table and check your leg lengths. If you're already a patient, you've experienced this. Wondering why I do it? Read on.

A leg length check is one of the tools I use to identify neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction confidently and consistently, even when you have no symptoms.

When I bring your heels together and bend your knees, I check for a leg length difference and whether it is structural or functional. A structural difference means the bones themselves are different lengths. A functional difference happens when a misalignment in your spine (even as high as your neck) or a tilted pelvis stops your legs from lining up evenly.

People of all ages can have a leg length difference, so seniors, adults and even toddlers can all have this quick check, along with palpation, as part of assessing their spine. It guides my adjustments and lets me:

• Find the segment where the misalignment is
• See how that segment is misaligned
• Decide which direction the adjustment needs to go
• Confirm afterward that the segment is now moving well

What if I only have neck pain?

Short answer: I still check. Every segment of the spine relies on the ones above and below it. They work together like a chain that protects your spinal cord and keeps your nervous system healthy.

Neck pain can come from your neck compensating for a problem further down. I'm dedicated to being thorough and finding the root cause. That doesn't mean every segment gets adjusted, but every segment gets evaluated.

How an adjustment changes the picture

Your brain is constantly sending your body instructions, and your nerves are constantly reporting back. Misaligned vertebrae can add to pressure, inflammation and nerve irritation, creating a roadblock in that communication. Poor posture can be one sign of it.

Adjustments bring movement back to joints of the spine that are stuck. That is why, after adjusting a patient's neck, I sometimes find their pelvis has levelled and their legs measure the same length again.

What our patients say

As an experienced Chiro patient, I thought I had seen it all. But today, I'm in awe… I hadn't come in weeks, and had hurt myself somehow… Can't thank you enough. I will be back much more frequently, what was I thinking!

Liam W.

Interested in learning more? Read Wellness Care Versus Short-Term Relief. Looking for a chiropractor in Toronto? Book online or call 416-967-4466.

References

1. Fuhr A. The Activator Method. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby Elsevier; 2008.
2. Leg length discrepancy. Columbia University Department of Orthopedic Surgery.