How common leg length differences can go undetected, affecting athletic performance and physical well being.

Leg length differences in people can lead to abnormal sideways curves in the spine or scoliosis. Screening for scoliosis has been mandated to perform in the middle schools, girls in 7th grade and boys in 8th grade. Unfortunately, according to the Standards for Scoliosis Screening in California Public Schools 2007, a student is referred for a medical screening if the following results are found:

• More than 1/2″ difference in height of iliac crests when standing.
• Significant shoulder height asymmetry and/or elevated scapula (shoulder blade) of more than 1”.
• Prominence of the thoracic ribs or lumbar (low back) area, but specifically to more than a 7 degree curve or greater than a 10 millimeter hump.

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If you have a traumatic injury resulting from one occurance/accident or an over-use injury from multiple repetitions of the same motion, understanding the body’s Mobility-Stability model is crucial for a full recovery. Treating the area of pain may make you feel better, but it will probably not get you better.

Each joint in your body is built to move, but some are designed to be more mobile while others function to be more stable. There is a pattern in the human body where a stable joint will have a mobile joint above and below.

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