I was hit by a car a few years ago and had major surgery to repair a broken hip. I’ve suspected a leg length discrepancy since then, but it’s never been quantified. Today I did some google research and attempted several different techniques for measuring the discrepancy on my own. They were remarkably consistent in yielding a 1/2 inch difference. It’s the left leg and it’s all in the femur. Makes sense.
Now … the question is how to compensate for it … or even if I should after all this time. I’ve been riding with it this way for 5 years now. I do tend, at times, to get IT band issues on my right “good” leg on really long rides. I also can feel a bit of a hitch in my spin. You can see it in the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg7PWFoySa4
I think the hitch in my spin is noticeable.
Does anyone have experience with this? Again, should I compensate for this with a shim? Cleat positioning? Adjusting saddle height? Or, do I let it go as so much time has passed that I’ve naturally compensated? It seems to me that a shim will only address some hip rocking at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Changing the cleat position doesn’t seem like a real answer, but actually using a shorter crank arm on the left side (which I can easily do) could make sense.
Thanks for sharing any experience. Thanks for not sharing a critique of the video. That thread has already happened.
I have a 1" length difference. I was hit by a car while directing traffic as a cop. I used to use a 1/4" shim in my running and cycling shoes as well as a 1/2" in my everyday shoes. No more! I allowed my body to compensate for the 1" and no longer find it necessary to use any shims at all. I’ve had x-rays done and it shows my hips are tilted to the short side to compensate. This tilt has zero effect on my training, racing and everyday life. Cycling pics will show that I ride with my toes down slightly on my short side compared to the left side.
Bob - most of us have some minor limb length discrepancy. Most have no issues with it. However, the more the discrepancy, the more you may notice (obviously). Also, the more you do, the more likely you will notice (i.e. stop TT and take up marathoning and I’ll think you may notice things a bit more)
1/2" isn’t much, but won’t hurt to shim a little. Easiest thing is to get some LeWedges and stack them side to side (so no angles) under your cleat a little at a time to your “feel” right or your video hitch appears gone (if it actually does).
**(i.e. stop TT and take up marathoning and I’ll think you may notice things a bit more) **
Were I to do this, a little leg length discrepancy will be the least of my issues! I don’t believe I’ve run more than one mile non-stop in my entire life. Since getting hit by a car, the longest run I’ve done has been from the bike rack to the mounting area during a tri relay. It’s not a pretty sight.
I have to agree with Zipp on this one. Over the years, friends have commented that I point my toe on one side more than the other and eventually at a bike fitting, I had a guy show me there was about a 10mm difference. He recommended I shim half the difference so I had one side elevated by 5mm, but noticed no difference in performance or anything and it was a hassle in other ways.
When I bought some custom shoes, the manufacturers said it was better to let the body adapt to the difference because a shim presents problems of its own. I pulled out all the shims, lewedges and everything and adjusted my seat a bit and now ride without again. I think I compensate in the aero position by sitting on the pelvic bone to the left of my “gear” and sort of lean a bit to the right–which is the shorter leg.
On the road bike I’m sure I probably have more of a toe down position on the right side when compared to the left.
Chad
My left femur is about 1/2" shorter since a car accident caused multiple fractures, but that was almost 30 years ago now. I’ve never used any type of shimming. My hips would get a little strained and uncomfortable sometimes for the first couple of years but have been fine after that.
I’ll defer to the experts, I’m not one, but I’d be more likely to shim a shorter lower leg than the femur. I didn’t think unbalancing the lower leg length the other way would be a good way to fix an upper leg imbalance.
**When I bought some custom shoes, the manufacturers said it was better to let the body adapt to the difference because a shim presents problems of its own. **
Chad,
That’s what got this started. I’m about to order some D2s and thought I might address this in the process. They didn’t really think my amount of difference was a big deal … especially in the femur. They’re going to ship me a shim to try with the shoes, but I don’t think they expect me to find a world of difference.
What brand of customs did you go with and how do you like them?
Bob,
They are D2s. In dealing with them it seems like a mom and pop sort of business and it took forever to actually receive the shoes. However, once arrived my short-answer observation is this–THEY ROCK. I’m sure not everybody needs a custom shoe, but if you have feet that are substantially different than each other then you might find that you like them. I asked them to make them tight to be raced with no socks. Now when I slide my foot in while rolling down the road and clamp down on the velcro it feels like my foot is welded to the pedal.
I’m not as fond of them for training because they are so tight, so I still ride primarily in a pair of old Sidi Genius 2’s, but when I am going hard they are the best. And as I said, I don’t use the shims anymore and don’t have to fiddle with hardware of different lengths.
I still waffle on whether they are worth the cost.
I’ll PM you a synopsis of the whole experience if you are interested.
When I started running about 6 years ago, I would constantly have symmetry problems/injuries – left quad pain + right calf/achilles problems. I went to see a decent sports doctor and was diagnosed with a longer left leg – once the diagnosis was made it was obvious … left leg, due to its length was way stronger, right leg was visibly smaller and weaker. Longer left leg quad was taking a beating, shorter right calf pushing off farther to compensate Worked with a PT for a while. While he was very good, the best I have ever come across, they couldn’t fix me with strengthening exercises or stretches, and I eventually went to orthotics. Probably everyone’s different, but for me those make a tremendous difference. In fact I cannot run without them. A couple of times in the off season, I have tried to wean myself off, thinking that 4 years of serious training have strengthened my legs to the point orthotics are unnecessary – bad idea/didn’t work for me.
I’ve got a 1/2 inch shorter left leg from a ladder accident in 2005 (broken femur, almost a broken hip). I’ve been told that it might be helpful to shim my left shoe for the bike, but I’ve never gone and done it and I seem to be doing fine without it. As far as running, I’ve recently been running with a thicker sock on my left foot than my right (which works out pretty well since my left foot is 1 size smaller than my right) and that seems to make running easier with less knee issues than I was seeing before.
I don’t know the extent of your injury and I’m not a doctor, but don’t count yourself out from running (or at least running more smoothly – even if only for transition). It took me 3+ months of physical therapy to walk without a wobble and almost a year of running until is seemed that I was running without a limp (In the first run I did post-injury a 5 year old could have beat me for the 100 yards of the run and calling the run “not smooth” would have been very, very kind).
This is very interesting. It’s been over five years now since my broken hip and it’s been surprising to me that my left leg remains visibly smaller than my right. In a separate accident about ten years ago I broke my left kneecap. My leg was completely immobilized and non-weight-bearing for three months. It was another three months before I could walk on it without a cane or crutch. That leg was like bones with skin by the time I was able to start back. But in two years, aside from the scars, you’d never know the difference based on muscle size. But since the broken hip (and ankle, too, btw) there was much less atrophy to start with, and even after five years there’s a visible difference. Maybe you’ve helped me understand why. And as you said, where I have aches and pains, they’re all on the opposite side where I compensate.
I’ve done well with my racing since the accident, but maybe this has been a limiter I might be able to address. Thanks for the response.
**don’t count yourself out from running (or at least running more smoothly – even if only for transition). It took me 3+ months of physical therapy to walk without a wobble and almost a year of running until is seemed that I was running without a limp (In the first run I did post-injury a 5 year old could have beat me for the 100 yards of the run and calling the run “not smooth” would have been very, very kind). **
Thanks Craig,
I was never a runner to start with. I ran track in school, but that was when Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin were alive. The broken hip was just the latest chapter for that leg. Also broke my ankle and pelvis at the same time. I have screws in both the hip and the ankle. Several years before that, I was in a bad crash on wet RR tracks. Kneecap went straight into a rail as I went down and it was shattered. I’ve been told by the ortho surgeon who fixed me both times that other patients with similar injuries are fat slobs living on disability. I don’t even walk with a limp. (Actually, when it’s cold and damp, my wife says I start a kind of soulful strut that I’m not even aware I’m doing.) The surgeon thinks I’ve been smart to stick with cycling and not try running. I’ve got a few too many things going on. The potential for the pounding from running to cause something to go haywire is a bit too great.
Incidentally, I’ve asked my doc several times about leg length discrepancy. We keep intending to measure it, but somehow it never has happened. We start talking about other things and it just gets away. I haven’t seen her in a few years now.
