What causes leg discrepancy in kids?

Some children are born with congenital limb differences that cause their legs or arms to grow at different rates. Other limb-length discrepancies are caused by serious fractures, a fracture that does not heal properly, a bone infection such as osteomyelitis, or bone tumors or bone cysts.

Why does leg length discrepancy happen?

There are many different reasons to have a leg length discrepancy, but there are two main causes: 1) your child was born with a condition that caused one leg to grow slower than the other or 2) something happened during your child’s lifetime that affected the length of the bone (i.e. a fracture) or affected the growth …

Can you fix leg length discrepancy?

If a child has stopped growing, orthopedists can sometimes correct a leg length discrepancy by shortening the longer leg. This is done by removing a piece of bone from the longer leg. Limb lengthening surgery also can be done.

Is leg length discrepancy genetic?

What is limb length inequality? Limb length inequality is when one leg or arm is shorter than the other. This can be caused by a previous fracture, trauma to a growth plate or a previous infection. Genetic conditions or syndromes can also result in one limb being longer than the other.

How do you treat leg length discrepancy in children?

For children with a small discrepancy (less than 2 cm) a lift placed into the shoe can be an adequate treatment while some children with the same discrepancy may choose no treatment at all. For children with a predicted LLD of 2.5 cm or more a surgical operation is the best treatment for LLD.

Is leg length discrepancy common?

Unfortunately, most of us are not structurally or functionally symmetrical. A diversity of symptoms may occur as a result of limb length discrepancies, many of which proper treatment can alleviate. Limb length discrepancy (LLD) is a very common occurrence in the pediatric and adult population.

How much leg length discrepancy is normal?

Most differences in leg length are normal. No one is perfectly symmetrical and a difference of up to 2 cm in adults is typical.

How common is leg length discrepancy?

Having one leg longer than the other is relatively common. The condition is known as leg length discrepancy. Some research indicates that 40–70\% of people have some form of leg length discrepancy (LLD). The differences in leg length can range from a fraction of an inch to several inches.