Leg Length after surgery?

[Julia]

I had THR surgery on March 21st. So it has now been 4 weeks. I have been progressing well with the exercises but have felt for a while now that the operated leg is longer than the other one. Yesterday went to physio and she measured it and found it to be 2 cm longer and that was why I was walking rather lopsided. She suggested I get back to the surgeon and discuss with him.

Has anyone out there experienced this problem and if so, what are the options to correct it? Another surgery? or just live with it and put insoles in shoes, etc.

Look forward to any info anyone has on this problem.

Thanks,
Julia

 

[hamster]

Hi Julia,

I was told that a lot of people feel that their leg is lots longer after walking again, they said this will straighten out in a short time due to your foot not having any pressure on it for a few weeks, it takes time to 'flatten out' again. They said they give some patients insoles to make them happy for a few weeks until it feels better. 2 cm don't sound like a lot, but if it hurts your back, then you may have to do the insoles. I am 6 weeks post-op today and can feel that my foot is slightly swollen due to lack of use.

I went through a similar experience almsot 24 years ago when I just had my hip socket repaired, spent 4 months on crutches and when I could go 100% weight on my leg it felt real strange for a few days, longer and slightly numb all over.

Hope this helps,

Don

 

[pt109]

I'm less than three weeks out from THR and my right leg feels much longer than my left. My orthopod tells me this is normal. The muscles need to be stretched out after not being used correctly when I was dealing with the pain before surgery. If I walk with one shoe on my non operated side, and no shoe on the operated side, I feel fine....not a good long term solution, but it sure feels good right now. I guess I'll give it more time.

 

[peggymmv]

Re: difference in leg length post THR. This is my first post. I had both hips done in 2006 and was told to expect the operative leg to be longer for a while. The surgeons do that deliberately, knowing that as PT and ambulation progress, the tightening adductor muscles (those at the outsides of the hip that were cut to gain access to the hip joint) will strengthen, shorten, and automatically pull/push the head of the femur (the thing that was cut off) more deeply into the socket. Mine were 3/4 inch off on one side and 1/2 inch off on the other side. Both are now equal.

 

[123mj59]

I had my right hip replaced in 2004. Before the operation, my surgeon said my left leg was about 1/4" longer than the right. I had no idea. He said up to a 1/2" difference, most people would not notice and that very few people have two legs that are exactly the same length. After the operation in 2004, my right leg was 1/4" longer. At first I used the insole but the surgeon was right. After a couple months of normal walking, I no longer noticed it at all. I have just had the left hip replaced (June 6) and am eager to have the surgeon measure the legs again to see what changes might be there. In any case, I am confident that there are no repercussions to the minor differences in length we are talking about here.

 

[Josephine]

I had no idea. He said up to a 1/2" difference, most people would not notice and that very few people have two legs that are exactly the same length.

Absolutely! Check out your arms - I'll bet that about half of you will report a difference in length. You can do it with fingers as well. We are not symmetrical organisms!!

 

[peg]

Re: leg length after surgery: I had my surgery 6 weeks ago. I'm aware there is a difference in the length of my operated leg (it's longer). I have to concentrate to try to walk "normally" . I need to have the other hip done and I hope it will be soon. The operated hip feels normal...no pain. Friends who have had THR say that shoe lifts help in levelling the walking.

 

[Swright]

I am 2 months post op. I don't have a longer leg, rather my operated leg is ever so much shorter. Not enough for a lift, probley a Dr. Scholl's insert would correct it. I have read that legs can "adjust" and "settle", making longer leg length shorten. My concern was that my leg may get shorter. I asked my PT person and the Physicians Assitant. I was told they had rarely seen this. If the OS pushes to far the femur can fracture, if not far enough then you get the settling. Don't know if it makes a difference, but my OS uses a computer to assist him. I've been walking a mile 4 days a week, so I figured if it was going to settle and shorten I would have seen it already.

Anyone out there have one leg shorter vs. longer? Has anyone had good post op leg length that stayed the same.

 

[Josephine]

Swight - the post you responded to is almost a year old!!

I am closing this to prevent it being bumped again ...