Leg length discrepancy?
04-29-06, 02:27 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Leg length discrepancy?
Bought a new road bike in Feb. Had it professionally fitted including SPD's. Started having left kneecap pain plus IT pain in March. Brought it back to the LBS, discovered that my left knee loops while my right flows nicely top to bottom. Shimmed the right (shorter) leg and added Specialized footbeds in both shoes but left knee was still unhappy. Doesn't matter if I use the clipless or flat pedal, left knee still moves all over the place, so can't blame it on the SPD's. What should I do next? Should I go to an ortho to see if there is a leg length discrepancy? Very discouraged as I can't even ride 5 miles now without discomfort after 2 weeks of rest. Thanks for your thoughts...
Last edited by songlady; 04-29-06 at 02:41 PM.
04-29-06, 02:39 PM
#2
Senior Member
I had good luck with these guys..
www.esoles.com
www.esoles.com
04-29-06, 02:52 PM
#3
Emondafied
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Maryland
Posts: 4,939
Bikes: See sig
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Well there are many possibilities. You may have a pronation problem and need something simple like Lemond LeWedges. You may just need your cleats to be rotated (many shops will do a professional cleat setup). If it's a leg length problem, solving it depends on where the discrepancy occurs. Sometimes shims between the cleat and shoe are the solution, and sometimes they make it worse.
I think seeing the ortho wouldn't be a bad idea, to determine 1) if it really is a length discrepancy, and 2) whether the difference is in the tiba or the femur. If it's the latter, shims will make it worse.
I think seeing the ortho wouldn't be a bad idea, to determine 1) if it really is a length discrepancy, and 2) whether the difference is in the tiba or the femur. If it's the latter, shims will make it worse.
__________________
my bike page - my journal
Current Stable: Trek Emonda SL - Trek Top Fuel 8 - Scattante XRL - Jamis Dakar Expert - Trek 9700 -AlpineStars Al Mega
my bike page - my journal
Current Stable: Trek Emonda SL - Trek Top Fuel 8 - Scattante XRL - Jamis Dakar Expert - Trek 9700 -
04-29-06, 03:06 PM
#4
A Little Bent
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Struggling up a hillside in Vermont, USA... ..........................................
Posts: 2,858
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The most accurate way to measure leg length discrepancy is serial x-rays but this is done only in significant cases. It is easy to determine if you have a leg length discrepancy at home.
Take a tape measure and measure from the belly button to the bottom of the inside bump on the ankle. Do both sides. That measures the soft tissue distance between the two legs. Soft tissue differences may be tightness or possibly a scoliosis. (Chiropractor?).
Then measure from the points on each side of your body where the point of the pelvis sticks out front (ASIS) down the same side to the same point on each ankle. This actually measures the bony length.
If this is off, lay on your back and put your heels to your butt (bending your knees). Have someone look at you from the front. If one knee is higher then that means the tibia is longer.
Then look from the side. The knee that is front means that femur is longer. If you have a bony leg length discrepancy see a podiatrist.
Take a tape measure and measure from the belly button to the bottom of the inside bump on the ankle. Do both sides. That measures the soft tissue distance between the two legs. Soft tissue differences may be tightness or possibly a scoliosis. (Chiropractor?).
Then measure from the points on each side of your body where the point of the pelvis sticks out front (ASIS) down the same side to the same point on each ankle. This actually measures the bony length.
If this is off, lay on your back and put your heels to your butt (bending your knees). Have someone look at you from the front. If one knee is higher then that means the tibia is longer.
Then look from the side. The knee that is front means that femur is longer. If you have a bony leg length discrepancy see a podiatrist.
04-29-06, 09:10 PM
#5
Aluminium Crusader :-)
if it's not a leg length issue, your hip could be out of whack, or your hamstring......which means it's only noticeable on the bike. Similar problems have been discussed here before
04-29-06, 09:53 PM
#6
Slow'n'Aero
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Driving the pace in the crosswind
Posts: 2,599
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Originally Posted by Hammertoe
The most accurate way to measure leg length discrepancy is serial x-rays but this is done only in significant cases. It is easy to determine if you have a leg length discrepancy at home.
Take a tape measure and measure from the belly button to the bottom of the inside bump on the ankle. Do both sides. That measures the soft tissue distance between the two legs. Soft tissue differences may be tightness or possibly a scoliosis. (Chiropractor?).
Then measure from the points on each side of your body where the point of the pelvis sticks out front (ASIS) down the same side to the same point on each ankle. This actually measures the bony length.
If this is off, lay on your back and put your heels to your butt (bending your knees). Have someone look at you from the front. If one knee is higher then that means the tibia is longer.
Then look from the side. The knee that is front means that femur is longer. If you have a bony leg length discrepancy see a podiatrist.
Take a tape measure and measure from the belly button to the bottom of the inside bump on the ankle. Do both sides. That measures the soft tissue distance between the two legs. Soft tissue differences may be tightness or possibly a scoliosis. (Chiropractor?).
Then measure from the points on each side of your body where the point of the pelvis sticks out front (ASIS) down the same side to the same point on each ankle. This actually measures the bony length.
If this is off, lay on your back and put your heels to your butt (bending your knees). Have someone look at you from the front. If one knee is higher then that means the tibia is longer.
Then look from the side. The knee that is front means that femur is longer. If you have a bony leg length discrepancy see a podiatrist.
