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BY DR. ARNAN SISSON
August 11, 2023
A good bit of folks coming in with back pain ask me this question. They wonder if one leg is longer than the other. Their dead set that the leg length problem is the major cause of their back or sciatic pain.
I will say that their can be a link. If someone has some scoliosis, knee replacement, or hip replacement; there could be one leg that becomes longer than the other. And this can most definitely make back pain worse. But in other cases, theirs no leg length issue at all. It’s just that their shifted to a side temporarily because of the high levels of pain.
So today I’m going to teach everyone a quick and simple test to see if they may have a difference in leg length and if a heel insert/lift will help them.
Very often if someone has a leg length problem standing can be a problem. So, if you stand for 5-10 minutes and you get your ache or pain try this:
Get a very thin book and place under the leg you feel is shorter. Then stand for 5-10 minutes. After this time see if your pain is better, worse, or same. If it’s worse or the same, then try a larger book a repeat again.
If you can make your pain significantly better with this test than there is a fair shot that a heel lift will help. And speaking to a doctor you trust or local shoe expert, getting fitted for a heel lift should be your plan of attack if it is indeed a leg length problem. Its important though to remember that the heel lift will likely ease your pain if this is the case but will rarely fix it all by itself.
In my back pain practice what we do for folks that are in this scenario is to treat their back. And once we fix that problem the heel lift is a great tool to prevent future reoccurrence of back issues.
So, feel free to try that test out, and if you’re on the fence about what to do next I’d love to help. Call us at (804) 493-3256 to get a free 15 minute phone consultation. During the call I can get a better idea of your case, and brainstorm different ways to get you off the pills and get back to exercise again.
That’s it for today everyone, remember movement is medicine.
The pain was so excruciating in my heel I was seriously worried about being able to continue work at the post office.
My physician gave me stretches and massage exercises that didn’t help, and he told me I would probably require surgery for my foot in a few weeks.
I went to this clinic and after one session my pain disappeared! We found my pain was actually coming from my back, and that surgery would have been a waste of money and time.
I feel great now, and even better I didn’t have to do surgery!
Sheila C., Montross
I’ve tried all kinds of shoes; I’ve spent so much money on that stuff. I went to a chiropractor a few times and even did physical therapy once with not much improvement.My back and legs still feel bad. And now I feel like an old lady when I walk. Even my granddaughter holds on tight to me, because she thinks I’m going to fall.Since I’ve been here the sciatica in both legs is completely gone. I can also sit as long as I like, stay independent, and not feel stiff when I get up from a chair!
Ella C., Warsaw
The biggest problem I was having was in the morning. First thing, my back hurt so bad I couldn’t even stand up. I had to sit for 30 minutes before I could even move. I was really scared to move around in the morning, it had a huge negative effect on my life.
I use my exercise and lumbar roll now, and I have zero issues in the morning when getting up. I can now walk down the hall and actually get my coffee pain free. My back feels great, and it’s been a tremendous help for me.
Alleyne D., Colonial Beach
