How many of you have a leg length discrepancy following THR?

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phoggie

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Hi you all~~

I was curious....how many of you have had a leg length discrepancy after you had a THR....and how much....what has been done and how are you coping with it? All my surgeon can say is "I'm sorry"~~

My leg is now 1" too long...and I am trying to get used to the god-awful, ugly shoes, but I love to go bare-footed...even tried to wear one sandle in the house....and that isn't working. This limp is making every other joint in my back and knees hurt badly....Any words of wisdom?

I am ready for the sun to shine...with this moist weather, it is BAD for the joints! What do you take for arthritis pain? I have a esophogas problem so I am about limited to Tylenol and that is not cutting it. Hoping tomorrow will be better~~
 
Be interesting to hear that, phoggie, but money's on almost everybody!
 
Hi you all~~
Well, since no one has said that they were left with a LLD, I "assume" that I am the only lucky one that has had this happen.....glad for you~~~
 
3 weeks out of surgery. According to my PT guy I have a 3/4 inch discrepancy. I'll be curious to see what my OS says when I see him on the 22nd of this month.
 
I too think I have a discrepancy now, think that is why I am having so much trouble with my back. I think mine is around 1/2" to 3/4" but my OS says it about 6 months before he believes the joint to settle, so at my next appointment will get him to check, if I need a raise so be it. Trouble is being a woman I've so many pairs of shoes! and the hopsital only allow a couple a year to be bulit up.

Let us know what your OS says on 22nd.

Karen
 
According to my PT and Chiropractor I had a 3/4" discrepancy. My Chiropractor measure last week at 5/8" so it's getting better. I am 5 months 1 week post op. I do wear a lift inside my shoe as prescribed by the Chiropractor to avoid other issues with my body.
 
They tell me mine is about perfect, but I know that's the exception, not the rule. My doctor is known as one who is known to do a good job in that area.
 
I'm having my THR on Monday. My doctor told me that my leg would be longer than the other. He said the taller the person, the less they notice the difference. Is this true?
 
Phoggie,
My girlfriend had her lifts put inside her shoes so you can't tell. I know she isn't a huge shoe lover. I worry about this alo because like you I love to go barefoot and mostly sandals and you can't hide anything on them.
 
Hi all, I'm from the knee side but also have hip problems and hip replacement is in my future. I have a leg length difference of about 1+ inch because of a compound fracture of the tibia 20 years ago. Apparently, when you break a bone so violently, it shortens the bone.

I've moved from place to place and pretty much ignored everything orthopedic until the last three years when all my joints started falling apart. I've not had any limp during this time unless I've walked a lot and I've not warn any lifts or special shoes in this time. Now, however, my SI joint is killing me all of a sudden and my Neurosurgeon blames it on the leg length. I just wonder why it took 20 years to start bothering me. I'm wearing a heel lift plus a little extra in my shoe for now but no special shoes. I'm hoping to get a little closer to normal with all the surgeries I've got to have.

For sandals....I did find a clear lift on the Internet that's not quite so noticable. I just got them and tried them in my sandal and I think it's going to work for the summer. I didn't notice any slippage. It probably would be best with sandals that have a strap around back. Order them a size larger then you would normally wear for the sandals. I got the medium and wear a small in a regular shoe. Here's the website where I found them: http://gwheellift.com/

Hope this helps all my crooked cohorts! Karen
 
Just thought I would add my 2 cents on LLD. My Operated leg was a full 1 inch longer right after surgery, I FREAKED OUT!!! Now almost 5 weeks later a miracle, my legs are totally equal in length. I cannot explain this, my OS said that it was a common occurrence. Not to worry... Whew!
 
Hip, hip hurray I am happy to report that I had no leg length discrepancy after either op. Quite frankly I cannot understand how this should come about in the first place. Since the femoral head is removed prior to the implantation of the shaft and no added slice of bone is removed during this procedure both legs ought to retain their previous lenght, after all, this is not 1948 when such situations arose with greater frequency due to a totally different approach, half lemon sized metal cups and silver nails that is. Annemarie.
 
Hey everybody~~

I have not posted in quite awhile, but read this from time to time to keep up with "my hip friends".

It has been 14 weeks since my THR and I am doing pretty well. It it weren't for the LLD, things would be great. As I posted before, the LLD has caused IT Band syndrome from having to stretch the muscles in my leg, to make up for the added leg length, and where it joins the tendons on the outside of the knee, it has really given my fits...so am doing PT for that now...along with some electric stimulation treatments...not helping much, but it tolerable. I will always have to wear the built-up shoes (about 1 inch), but guess life could be worse...but I can't wear all those pretty shoes that just sit in my closet...and am getting tired of the two pairs that I have that I can use now.

Are any of you limited on bending over? I do it, but I guess (according to the OS), I shouldn't be. I don't think he ever realizes just how many times a day a woman needs to do that while maintaining a house.....and I am clumsy about dropping everything anyway. It doesn't give me any pain to do so...so I guess I think that if I do it "easily", I can get by....or at least, I certainly hope so......don't want to dislocate the hip, that is for sure.
 
I was just told on at my 6 week checkup that I have a 1/2" difference but that when I eventually have the other hip done that they will match.
 
Hy guys. I did not perceive any bone length discrepancy even though I was not permitted to actually stand on my second (R) THR for about 6 weeks and the left hip had only been replaced 4 months previous. I am bothered however by an occasionally painful hard lump(under the skin callous ?) under the ball of my left foot which appears to have formed during the six weeks of double pressure onto the left leg. I have no idea how to get rid of it.
Other then that, all is well and I feel wonderful. The second hip is 2 years new in August and both hips feel totally normal and no one believes that I had hip replacements.
 
Such a callosity is common where the weight is not even distributed between both legs. A chiropodist will easily see to it for you.
 
I now have a difference of about 1/2 inch also. But thinking when I have other THR I will even out and all will be ok. But Karen above has a good site for the sandal lifts. I love sandals so if I need them later I will get them.
 
Hi,

I finally got them to do a measurement. They kept saying it's so slight it won't matter. Well, I also have 1/2 inch difference, but to the shorter side. I hope when I have to get my other hip done it will also be 1/2 inch shorter rather than 1/2 inch longer...that would make for an inch discrepancy total....

Are you wearing a lift in the shorter side?

Is is unusual for a shorter LLD than longer? I feel like the odd woman out.
 
Most people have a slight discrepancy in leg length, just as most people have slightly different sized feet and hands. Ever noticed one shoe/glove fits more snugly than the other? It's totally natural.
 
Sunshine, I had just purchased the heal lifts mentioned in the message above when I wrote about them and have since tried them out for awhile. I have decided that I like the more traditional lifts better for my sandals. The clear ones, while they look better with sandals, are stiffer, less confortable and slide around even when taped down. I will use them in shoes that have a removable insole, placing them under the insole. No one notices the rubbery, leather look heal lift that I have put in my sandals (except me) and they stay put much better and they're more comfortable. I'm glad you brought that post up so I could update you with my opinion. Karen
 
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