Leg Length Difference
Discovering that your child has a leg length difference can be overwhelming. Our goal is to offer guidance to help you and your child through their journey and provide support along the way.
On this page you will find:
- What is a Leg Length Difference?
- Why Does it Happen?
- How is LLD?
- Treatment of LLD
- How Will it Affect My Child?
- Sharing the News
- Support
- Resources
What is a Leg Length Difference?
Leg length difference (LLD) has many names, but whatever you call it, it means one leg is longer than the other.
Most people have a minimal difference in the length of their legs which will be neither noticeable nor have any impact on day-to-day life. For those people where the difference is greater than 1cm, their walking will be impacted and may experience back pain. A difference of 2cm is considered significant and will often require medical treatment.
Why Does it Happen?
There are three main reasons for LLD:
- A condition that is present at birth (congenital)
- A condition developed after birth (developmental) eg following an infection
- An accident or operation that causes damage to the growth plate in your bone
How is LLD Detected?
Many cases of congenital LLD are picked up at routine antenatal scans, around 12 or 20 weeks of pregnancy, when the leg bones are measured and limbs can be visually checked. Other cases are identified following birth, when newborn checks are performed; however, some are not identified until a child is learning to move.
If LLD is developmental or due to injury, it will be diagnosed by a doctor measuring the legs and watching the patient standing and walking or using an X-ray.
Treatment of LLD
Treatment depends on the condition and exact form and severity. Consultants will assess each child individually and work with your family to decide on the best option for your child. Further investigations such as X-rays and MRI following birth may be used to guide treatment.
If the LLD isn’t causing a problem, the doctors might just want to watch and wait, or they may suggest a shoe lift to make it easier to walk, or some physiotherapy for pain. In some cases, doctors may suggest an operation.
Watch our webinar on limb lengthening below
How Will it Affect My Child?
The emotional and physical effects of living with – and having treatment for – a leg length difference will vary with the type of treatment, from child to child and family to family. As the many achievements of the children whose families we have supported demonstrate, it is no barrier to success, and the most important thing is to always encourage full participation in whatever your child shows an interest in.
Sharing the News
When and how you tell close family, friends and other relatives about your child’s condition is a very personal decision which will be impacted by how and when the diagnosis occurred, the individual prognosis for your child and the potential treatments available.
There is no right or wrong way or time to share the news, however, being well informed about the condition and having the opportunity to connect with other parents who can understand what you are feeling will likely help.
Once you do share the news, your relatives and friends will probably want to know how they can support you and your child, so take advantage of the experiences being shared by other parents, to help you feel better equipped to answer such questions and get the support that is right for you.
Support
Steps is here to offer emotional and practical support.
The Steps closed Facebook Group is a friendly and safe way of discussing your worries, sharing tips and finding emotional support. Our Family Contact Service identifies someone else who has been through a similar situation and who’s happy to talk about their experiences, on a one-to-one basis, to offer support.
You can reach out to Steps with your questions, concerns and requests via email info@steps-charity.org.uk or leave a voicemail message on 01925 750271 and one of the team will be in touch.
All our LLD links and related resources can be found below
