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

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I know that feeling. Went to a football scrimmage last week to see a friend of mine from Abilene. Had to walk up many steps in the stadium and nothing to hold on too...Thank goodness my friend got up and helped me to my seat. Scary when you do not feel stable. Patty
 
I know what you mean about the railing! I take the train every day and have to climb the stairs to and from the tracks. It's amazing how many people will not move around me so I can keep my grip on the railing. Fortuanately I'm 5 months out from my surgery and getting more stable, but I still have my days!
 
Last week I had to make a 90 year old lady move over when I was getting out of the pool so I could use the railing!!!
Judy
 
I'm getting around pretty good sometimes without my cane. The better I feel, the more my LLD gets in the way. The VA is going to buy me some extra depth shoes, boots for work, leisure and dressy ones. Until then I'll make do with a shoe insert. Makes my toes fall asleep, but I'm not so one-sided. I go back to work Monday, but will be taking my cane along.
 
Hello Everyone,

I posted sometime ago regarding a 3/4 inch LLD. I wrote my OS informing him of how frustrated I am regarding the lopsided walking. I am having severe issues with the sciatic nerve in the right hip; I am told by my PT this is coming from my lower back due to the leg length. My OS ordered a CT of the lower extremities (scanogram). Here is the result: The right femur measures 46.5 in length ant the right tibia from the level of the tibia spine to the ankle plafond measures 38.8 cm in length. Left femur measures 46.4 in length. Left tibia measure 38.3 cm in length. Impression: Total right hip arthroplasty. Left tibia is shorter than the right by approximate 0.5 cm. Now I am lopsided more than 0.5 cm; I am wearing a 3/4 inch lift. I saw a chiropractor who reviewed the report said my pelvic is tilted making the right leg longer; it had nothing to do with a LLD. I ask him why it appeared even when I ride my bike. He mentioned the muscle being released after exercise. I will obtain a second opinion today from another chiropractor. I will see the surgeon on September 22nd. I will post after my appointment today as well as after my OS appointment.

Happy Monday!

MsSplenda56/aka Shirley
 
Shirley,
Please let us all know what happens. I am 1/2 inch and EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED at this point. I know I have the Scoliosis and things are not all right there as far as if I were measured. And yes, the limp is putting much more pressure on the other arthritic hip. I feel like a bouncing ball....We will wait to hear from you...Patty
 
Patty,
I started having a more pronounced limp last week. No fun. Some days I was ready to use my cane again.

Aside from the scoliosis, my right knee is very arthritic. I got my 2nd cortisone shot in it yesterday.
My doc said he did not want to have the surgery conversation with me yet as he first wants my hip and quad muscles to get stronger. So do I!!

Tomorrow is hospital spinal injections. I hope one body are stops hurting!!!
Judy
 
Hey Judy,
Been going to the gym and pool all week. I have decided to put lifts in a FEW shoes. Tennis shoes and ones I will wear with jeans this fall. I know the cane feeling even at 7 months. Good days and achey days and the worst at the grocery store..Still use the cart to hold on to.
 
Hello Everyone,

I obtained a second opinion from my chiropractor who confirmed the issue causing the LLD is in the pelvis tilted not the surgery itself. In my research of the issue I have found it is due to setting for long period of time, weak abdominal muscles. I had my gall bladder removed in 04, hernia repair (6 inch inscision) in 06, and hip replacement in 07. I was told to wear a girdle with both stomach surgeries and never told to strengthen the muscles or prescribed PT. I am trying to avoid the spine injection so I am trying Acupuncture and herbal medicine. The Acupuncturist and chiropractor are working together for balance. My chiropractor thinks it's possible the adjustment will help. Only time will tell! The pain is still there but on a scale of 10 it’s a 2 to 3 the majority of the time. My knees and left hip has taken a beating because of the LLD due to pelvis tilted. I will see the surgeon on next Monday. The chiropractors said the surgery was very good, if I didn’t tell them I had hip replacement they wouldn’t have known. I will post after my appointment.

Happy Monday!
MsSplenda aka Shirley
 
Yep - what is often called an 'apparent' disparity rather than a 'real' one.
 
Josephine said:
Yep - what is often called an 'apparent' disparity rather than a 'real' one.
Click to expand...

After reading some of the length discrepancy discussions here and with the "feeling" that I had at least a 1/2 inch difference I told my OS at my 6 week post op. He then called up some xrays and had a sort of CAD type line drawing tool and drew several lines of reference on my x-ray of both hips and was able to show that there was in fact about a 3 mm difference or 1/8 inch.

Now I'm not sure what Josephine is referring to but I have to tell you that for whatever reasons that 1/8 inch feels to me for all the world like an inch. As I am just days away from the other hip being replaced it is no big deal if that one turns out and feels the same.
 
I think what Jo meant is that there is no actual size difference in the 2 legs. The pelvis being tilted is the problem, not the length of the legs.
Judy
Tommy good luck, maybe after the 2nd is done , they will both be even.
 
MsSplenda56 said:
Josephine,

Would you please go in to more detail regarding your last posting?

Thanks
Shirley
Click to expand...

Tommy Utah said:
Now I'm not sure what Josephine is referring to but I have to tell you that for whatever reasons that 1/8 inch feels to me for all the world like an inch.
Click to expand...

Spot on, Judy, and was directly appro pro to Tommy's comment "1/8 inch feels to me for all the world like an inch" for they can indeed FEEL so much more than they really are.



 
I'm getting more frustrated as each day passes. Still haven't heard anything about an appointment for my shoes. My left (same leg as THR) knee now hurts and my walking without a cane has taken a blow. I now limp badly without my cane. I don't think my working has hurt, although a fellow employee playingly pushed me and caught me off guard, that may have initiated this change. I now use my cane at all times.

I was not innocent in the incident. I had used a pressure point to pretty much paralyze him. Don't mess with a Paramedic.
 
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