Walking, Walking Posture, Leg Lengths

[yfyf]

A bit of an odd topic but I wonder if anyone on the forum has any info on this.

I recently noticed that while my left leg swings naturally back and forth as I walk, my right leg follows an arc, apparently because the right leg is slightly longer. I have also noticed that I get a little bit of pain in my right foot if I do extended walking in my leather soled shoes.

Does anyone have any experience with this? A brief google suggests inserts in my left shoe. I don't have back pain or neck pain but I don't want something develop further down the line just because my body sucks.

 

[Nicola]

Only people made in factories are exactly even. The different leg lengths just prove you're hand made

Unless the difference is extreme I wouldn't worry. If it bothers you ask your doctor.

 

[yfyf]

Well the leg length issue itself doesn't bother me and I know it's common, but the fact that one leg has a different pattern of movement from the other leg as well as recently starting to feel pain in that foot is a little disconcerting.

 

[ysc]

If your feet hurt you could try exercising the muscles in them - try to move the big toe away from the rest - this raises your foots arch and then rise up of your heel as high as you can, or just try picking things up with your big toe and putting them down. Move your toes as far up and as far down as you can stretching the muscles in your feet. You can try pushing down into the flaw with your toes, again space your big toe out first
I was made to do these for physio when I was younger, but find now occasionally the muscles in my feet hurt when walking in some leather shoes, so I do this and it helps.

Don't get inserts you have not been recommended to get by a professional they can screw your feet/legs/back up. If it persists you are better off seeing a professional.

 

[DrPat]

Almost everyone has uneven legs. The effect on your body depends on how large the discrepancy is and what sorts of activities you do. My legs are only sightly different in length but this caused two stress fractures in my legs because I was running over 60 miles per week. Go to a podiatrist and ask him to fit you for orthotics. He will measure your leg length, the angle between your leg and foot, etc and construct something much more personalized than the foam inserts you buy in the grocery store.

 

[MLIW]

Sometimes it is best to go to see a manipulator to get your hips realligned as sometimes this is the cause...