I have historically used BikeFit Wedges on my short leg, just use two opposing so there is no varus input, height only. Is there any logic in changing the fore/aft of the cleat base plate as well? I’m trying to envision the dynamics of the stroke and if stack is the only component necessary to do it right. Not having issues with my current fix, more of a probing/learning question.
Thanks!
I’ve fiddled with both. You should try experimenting and see what works best for you.
Proceed with caution here as shimming to compensate for leg length discrepency is a rather acute method of trying to acheive symmetry in the pedal stroke.
It’s strong medicine. You don’t get chemotherapy for a cold.
Depending on who you regard as the authority, shims ought only be used in skeletal leg length discrepencies of more than 5 mm. A skeletal asymmetry needs to be verified by X-ray in a medical setting. It can be caused by asymmetrcial cephalocaudal development when we are extremely young, usually a baby. It can also be caused by an orthopedic incident, such as a broken leg. Both these circumstances are pretty easy to verify. It isn’t a visual assessment.
Another factor in how to address the issue is whether the discrepency is predominantly in the femur or the tibia, as with an injury being localized to one or the other. One may exert a change on cleat fore/aft (femur) to a greater degree than the other.
Have you had the potential leg length discrepency medically verified?
Since you are justing looking for some info and not a recommendation. I’ve had a 1" leg difference, medically varified after being hit by a car directing traffic as a cop, since 1989. The difference is made up first from a narrow right knee as well as from a spiral fracture of my right tibia. You can see a slight, very slight, limp when I walk, but since my hips are now tilted I no longer have any problems as my body has adjusted. When I first started tri’s I used a 1/4" shim between my cleat and shoe and a 1/4" heel lift inside the shoe. I did nothing for running. After doing this for a few years, I removed everything and no longer use any shims or lifts in my cycling or running shoes. A 1" difference is considered pretty major, yet I use nothing to compensate as my body, ie: hips, have made the needed adjustments. I do not have hip, knee, or back pain any more.
BTW - I pedal a bit more toe down on the right side. You can see this if you watch a video of my pedal stroke. My seat height is set more for my long left leg. I position my cleats all the way back, but then again I would without the difference, as I’m tall with a size 12 shoe.
Tom,
I’ve broke the neck on my femur just before christmas. After 3 pins, I’m about 5-10 cm short on the injured leg (not verified, I see podiatry Tuesday). I’m primarily a long distance guy, HIMs, IMs, and marathons.
What should I be asking the podiatrist and what information will I need going on from this? Who is the best resource for helping me (running and biking) correcting what I feel is a substantial pelvis tilt to the right? I know my podiatrist won’t have these answers but expect he will have the info to supply to someone knowing competition.
thanks, John
Be careful here. This is strong medicine.
Shimming and canting the shoe/cleat interface should be done for measureable, confirmable leg length discrepencies that are substantial. If the shimming or canting is wrong it could produce a range of issues from saddle discomfort to a real connective tissue problem.
Make sure you get a good fitter to supervise this and understand the specifics of any anatomical features too, usually starting with a visit to a physical therapist.
Do you have to account for the leg length difference in your running shoes as well? My right leg is about 6mm shorter than my left and shims for my running shoes have been recommended to me by my PT, but I haven’t done it yet. Just curious what everyone thought…
Since you are justing looking for some info and not a recommendation. I’ve had a 1" leg difference, medically varified after being hit by a car directing traffic as a cop, since 1989. The difference is made up first from a narrow right knee as well as from a spiral fracture of my right tibia. You can see a slight, very slight, limp when I walk, but since my hips are now tilted I no longer have any problems as my body has adjusted. When I first started tri’s I used a 1/4" shim between my cleat and shoe and a 1/4" heel lift inside the shoe. I did nothing for running. After doing this for a few years, I removed everything and no longer use any shims or lifts in my cycling or running shoes. A 1" difference is considered pretty major, yet I use nothing to compensate as my body, ie: hips, have made the needed adjustments. I do not have hip, knee, or back pain any more.
BTW - I pedal a bit more toe down on the right side. You can see this if you watch a video of my pedal stroke. My seat height is set more for my long left leg. I position my cleats all the way back, but then again I would without the difference, as I’m tall with a size 12 shoe.
Interesting. I was the opposite, in that I had a lot of leg and back pain until I started using 6mm of packing under my cleat for a 15mm CT SCAN verified leg difference.
My hips/back compensated by getting injured, not adjusting.
I don’t have the problem running - because when running you are never on the ground with both feet. I’ve just got an assymmetrical stride.
I don’t use anything packing wise for anything other than cycling shoes.
Standing up for a long time gives me a sore back on the long leg side.
Do you mean 5-10 mm (millimeters). I notice your post said 5-10 cm (centimeters) which would be 1.96 to 3.93 inches. A two to four inch difference would be very significant.
I have historically used BikeFit Wedges on my short leg, just use two opposing so there is no varus input, height only. Is there any logic in changing the fore/aft of the cleat base plate as well? I’m trying to envision the dynamics of the stroke and if stack is the only component necessary to do it right. Not having issues with my current fix, more of a probing/learning question.
Thanks!
I have a small shim in my cleat and a n insole in my shoe for leg length compensation and it works fine, I move BOTH cleats back the same amount to give my calves a break on the bike.
I had alot of problems for about the first 8-10 years. After that the body adapted to the difference. But it did take along time as I said.
Do you have to account for the leg length difference in your running shoes as well? My right leg is about 6mm shorter than my left and shims for my running shoes have been recommended to me by my PT, but I haven’t done it yet. Just curious what everyone thought…
I have a leg length discrepancy about the same as yours. A doctor once recommended that I put a heel shim in but I could never get used to the feel of it after a lifetime of running without it. A PT told me that you run a risk of shortening the Achilles tendon on the side with the shim. I’ve heard other recommendations that say 1cm or less isn’t worth messing with. Studies have shown that about 50% of the population has a small leg length discrepancy like this and I think most people just never know it. IMHO, unless the difference is more than 1/2" or there is a problem like sciatica or iliotibial band syndrome that can be attributed to the leg length discrepancy by a doctor, the human body adapts just fine on its own.
Yeah, messed that one up. 1-3 cm. Sorry about that.
Reviving this thread as it somewhat pertains to a question I have regarding the use of shims. Forgive my ignorance with the topic, but I had a prof. fitting done about 6 months ago in which a 4mm shim was placed under my left cleat. Lately, Ive been experiencing some right leg anterior knee pain in what appears to be the patellar tendon soreness. My left leg feels great through my pedal stroke, but my right leg feels a bit over extended at the bottom. My apologies for lack of cohesive information but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on the topic.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Reviving this thread as it somewhat pertains to a question I have regarding the use of shims. Forgive my ignorance with the topic, but I had a prof. fitting done about 6 months ago in which a 4mm shim was placed under my left cleat. Lately, Ive been experiencing some right leg anterior knee pain in what appears to be the patellar tendon soreness. My left leg feels great through my pedal stroke, but my right leg feels a bit over extended at the bottom. My apologies for lack of cohesive information but I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on the topic.
Thanks in advance for the help.
As always. Find a reputable bike fitter for final advice. This is the internet and frankly we cannot see you.
With that said:
Typically with a femoral leg length difference, we would do a cleat shift.
With a tibial length difference, we would shim the cleat.
If you think about how the leg is orientated when you are sitting with it bent… shortness in the femur affects horizontally while the tibia is vertical.
In regard to your knee. Typically we would see anterior knee pain with a saddle that is too low. Bike position, however, could certainly be affecting the knee. We also tend to see anterior knee pain in positions that are too far forward.
Tom, I had a scanogram done, which is a CT Scan of my legs to determine leg length discrepancy. The results found my right leg is 6mm shorter than my left. 5mm of that discrepancy is in my right femur and the other 1mm is in my right tib. So I have my right cleat shimmed at 5mm and I wear orthodontics in my running shoes with a 5mm raise. I think I’m doing the right thing based on my situation. Just curious if you have any additional insight or thoughts on this?
Thank you for your time.
Thanks, Paul… I’m sure us <10yrs into LLD would like to hear more about your handling the first 8-10 yrs. I have 1" discrepancy due to broken femur. Shattered the sucker (foolishly agreeing to try jumping off a 2nd floor balcony into a pool, and landing on my femur, next to the pool)
I’m 10 years in, but still… by body has not adjusted. Yes, every body is different…
I’ve tried various things…
on recomendation from ortho. surgeon, tried doing nothing.
Was able to mask limp, run, was great until the lower back pain on long-leg side started (and long knee), was unbearable.
Went to heal lift about half-inch, back pain improved. Was able to run, started to get chronic pain in short-leg hip/pelvis.
Decided to try full shoe lift day-to-day… i feel like a million bucks now, seriously. I look like the fool I was that day that caused all this, but feel great. Not good for running though-so running i use a heel lift and run with asyemmetric stride, also i run much much less now, only on days i can’t commute on bike. But currently this is all working for me.
I am playing around with not wearing a lift some days, and walking trying to compensate and keep my hips level… seems to be going pretty good. I feel like my body still tells me “NO… dont let your hips adjust”. So my debate has been, “muscle through the pain and try to adapt… or try to compensate and keep hips level, body in balance.” I’m leaning towards the latter.
Here’s one for the books! My Chiropractor says my left leg is shorter by about 7mm. I wear a lift in that heel and have for the last 10 years. He just did an xray of my pelvis and it once again showed the discrepency. I have been going to a PT for my left rear hip that’s been nagging me (SI joint, Periformis) and she did a non x-ray test and says it appears my left is longer when laying down. I have an adamo prologue and I noticed that the right prong of the saddle is lower than the left by about a good 3 to 5mm. So, my left leg is supposedly 7mm short standing, longer sitting and my right leg is maybe shorter in aero by 3 to 5mm based on my saddle. Top that! LOL!