Leg Length Discrepancy, Soleus Strains and Achillies Tendonitis

Triathlon Forum
1

Have struggled with soleus strains in the right leg for 3+ years (about 2 times per season) and this year had achillies tendonitis in the same leg. I have a slight leg length discrepancy with the right leg being approx 8mm shorter than the left which causes slight over pronation in the right foot. With such a slight leg length discrepancy, would something to make up the difference in the right shoe make a difference? If so, does anyone have a recommendation of what to get and where to get it? Thx!!!

2

I have a 4cm difference… guy who made my orthotics cut a piece of cork/foam type material which would not compress much and formed it to fit the heel of my right leg (it’s not 4cm thick though, very small)… you can get shims for under your cleat as well, forgot the company at the moment (again, not thick)

3

Sometimes, those problems with leg length discrepancies can come from the bike, I read an Ed Burke book saying that IF you try to shim the short side for length, then you should only try to shim for half the discrepancy, I.E. if you are 8mm short, try to put 4mm in there. One way to do it is to put something between the sole of your bike shoe and the cleat. You could add washers, or sheets of plastic cut to fit. try it, its pretty easy once you get into the Mcguyver (sp?..I loved that show) Mode.

4

I have a 1" leg length booboo. I went to a shoe repair store and handed them a “red” Look shoe cleat. He custom cut a 1/4" thick piece of shoe leather to the exact size, shape and mounting holes as the Look cleat. Then headed to the local hardware store to buy a few bolts long enough to replace the regular shoe cleat bolts.

Worked awesome for many years until I decided to throw them away. I no longer use any cleat leather, shims, or any such stuff. Now when I swim…I swim in circles…when I run…I run in circles as though I’m on the side of a hill…and bike like a mad man, dead straight : )

5

I use a LOOK cleat that i shaved off the front clip part as my riser. That way you can use two or one and then the normal cleat and not loose any function, helped a TON and easy to try. good luck

6

Managing leg-length discrepancy is difficult and varies a lot person to person. A short list of options:

  1. Soft heel lift - various sizes are available at shoe cobblers or chiropractors (cheap). Start at 4mm.
  2. Custom orthotics - expensive
  3. Try different shoes (start with motion control, if no luck, try NO motion control)
  4. Struggle through it; sometimes your body will make the necessary additions to compensate (like it did by pronating).

I like option one the most. The lift fits in the back of the shoe and is transferrable. For many of my patients, a small lift made the difference b/w a life of chronic lower back pain and none.

chiro18