Short Leg Equals Rotated Pelvis

It literally drives us crazy when a patient walks into the office and says their physical therapist is going to fix their short leg.

This is for two reasons.

The first is that the physical therapist almost always thinks it’s a functional short leg related to muscle imbalance.

The second is that the physical therapist practically never takes a Fergusons’ standing sacral base x-ray to rule out a structural short leg.

And, there’s a huge difference! See how to fix a short leg syndrome.

In the first case, physical therapy will help and you’ll see results quickly.

If you’ve been under physical therapy for years for a short leg, and still have a short leg, it’s not functional.

In the second case, the case of a measurable short leg on x-ray, physical therapy is pointless.

Try this little experiment.

Take off one shoe.

Now stand with both knees locked.

What just happened to your pelvis?

It rotated back on the long leg side and forward on the short leg side.

This experiment represents what happens with a structural short leg; the pelvis always rotates, and it has nothing to do with muscle imbalance.

Short leg equals rotated pelvis; end of story!

In order to fix a structural short leg you simply need to measure the discrepancy of the sacral base compared to horizontal and place the appropriately size lift into the heel of a precision calibrated custom foot orthotic on the short leg side.

Now the pelvis is level and has no reason to rotate.

It’s that simple.

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