The (Dys)Functional Short Leg

One of the signs that we look for in an unbalanced spine is the functional short leg.

The functional short leg is different than a person having an anatomical short leg where one leg developed shorter than the other one. This is a rare occurrence and accounts for 5% of short legs. Functional short legs, on the other hand, are very common.

So what happens when someone presents with a functional short leg? One leg has drawn up or pulled shorter due to structural imbalances in the spine. In essence, it’s a side effect of a bigger issue.

When the head and neck are not properly aligned, it causes a chain reaction throughout the musculoskeletal system. The shoulder adapts to the head and neck, and the hips then react to the shoulders, resulting in one leg being pulled shorter than the other.

This imbalance can cause tightness and spasms in the muscles attached to the spine. It can cause changes in gait that can wear down the joints in the lower extremities (hint: do the soles of your shoes wear unevenly?)

This may lead to pain in the foot, ankle, and knees. It can even lead to being unsteady on your feet and falls.

The good news is when a proper correction is made to the alignment head and neck, the body can begin to balance itself back out. It’s the classic case of killing two birds with one stone.

For the human body, a correction can “kill” a varied amount of ailments.

Here is an example of a short leg before and after an adjustment!

Yours in good health,
Dr. Jane