1. Is one leg shorter than the other?
2. Did you put extra insert in one shoe to "balance out"?
3. Did it work? Did you get faster? Did you feel smoother in your running?
Insightful and well reasoned replies appreciated.
1. Is one leg shorter than the other?
2. Did you put extra insert in one shoe to "balance out"?
3. Did it work? Did you get faster? Did you feel smoother in your running?
Insightful and well reasoned replies appreciated.
Steve Prefontaine
See a different PT
Off the Grid wrote:
Steve Prefontaine
?
Ali Abuliban~(shtcoin loving tiktok influencer) wrote:
See a different PT
?
Malehide wrote:
1. Is one leg shorter than the other?
2. Did you put extra insert in one shoe to "balance out"?
3. Did it work? Did you get faster? Did you feel smoother in your running?
Insightful and well reasoned replies appreciated.
Yes, one leg is functionally shorter than the other.
I put Tulis heel cups under the short side and eventually, after many years, added a thicker Dr. Scholl's pad to raise it even more.
It worked quite well with the heel cup and I indeed felt better, had less other injuries, smoother, etc.
But when I needed more and added the pads, it definitely had a learning curve. I had a sore low back during most of the adjustment period of about 3 months until everything adapted. It would have been very easy to give up, yank them, and go back to what I was.
A heel cup might be the way to test the waters since it adds only about 1/8" and has some give. If you need more, start here, and add incrementally allowing your body to adjust before adding more. You may have great success or it could create lower back and other issues. If you try something, don't forget to add it to everything including dress shoes, knock-around-the-house shoes, etc.
Good luck, I know how frustrating that imbalance can be.
Joe Savage (at the time NJ high school 880 yd. record holder 1:51.1) ---1/4"---surgery summer '74, missed the priceless opportunity to train w/Matt Sr. (still at Manhattan College) and him 1x week because of him being sidelined
I tried inserts, but I couldn't fit enough in there to make a difference. Now, every time I buy a pair of shoes, I have a cobbler add 3/8" to the entire length of one shoe. Costs about $70, which is a bummer, but my hip pain went away. At my age, it's worth it. I suppose if I ran a ton of miles it would get very expensive, but so is a hip replacement.
A lot of leg length discrepancies are misdiagnosed and not really discrepancies
Every runner has asymmetries
How were you measured?
Jalapeno wrote:
A lot of leg length discrepancies are misdiagnosed and not really discrepancies
Every runner has asymmetries
How were you measured?
I'm a chiro, and I diagnose everyone with a leg length discrepancy to show that they have a structural problem that needs to be fixed. It's not really "misdiagnosing." Literally everyone has a leg length discrepancy (and I'm using the word "literally" literally, here).
Anyway, OP, go to your local chiropractor to get fixed up.
I discovered the difference in 1986. Put a lift in running shoe and dress shoes. This was while running D1 and immediately felt smother. As important, injury and quick wearing out of running and dress shoes went way down.
Now in mid 50s no feet, knee or hip problems.
chiropractor wrote:
Jalapeno wrote:
A lot of leg length discrepancies are misdiagnosed and not really discrepancies
Every runner has asymmetries
How were you measured?
I'm a chiro, and I diagnose everyone with a leg length discrepancy to show that they have a structural problem that needs to be fixed. It's not really "misdiagnosing." Literally everyone has a leg length discrepancy (and I'm using the word "literally" literally, here).
Anyway, OP, go to your local chiropractor to get fixed up.
You're a quack. You can't fix nuthin.
Malehide wrote:
1. Is one leg shorter than the other?
2. Did you put extra insert in one shoe to "balance out"?
3. Did it work? Did you get faster? Did you feel smoother in your running?
Insightful and well reasoned replies appreciated.
1. Yes.
2. No.
3. What works is years of good training and racing. Lots of world class runners and world record holders have a noticeable leg length discrepancy.
I was hit by a car in 1985. I had multiple segmental fractures above the ankle where the bumper hit me and below the knee where the hood hit me. My right leg from the knee to the ground is about 1.5 cm shorter. I have been running ever since and was able to run a 1:15 half marathon after the injury and almost break 3 hours for the marathon at 40 years of age
I wear heel lifts that are about 3/8" thick in my shoe that go forward as far as the end of my arch. I don't know. Unfortunately, I did not do physical therapy and my right leg is weaker than my left leg. I can see this when I'm riding a bike with dual power meters
Oh, the car was going 100 km/h and I had about a 1% chance of surviving the injury. I'm 62 and run between 40 and 50 miles/week and am shooting for a 3:45 marathon. I don't know about you but all things considered, I'd consider that a success story
Naperville Runner wrote:
I wear heel lifts that are about 3/8" thick in my shoe that go forward as far as the end of my arch.
When I tried that, my heel kept popping out the back of my shoe, especially when I ran uphill. Was that ever a problem for you?
Naperville Runner wrote:
I was hit by a car in 1985. I had multiple segmental fractures above the ankle where the bumper hit me and below the knee where the hood hit me. My right leg from the knee to the ground is about 1.5 cm shorter. I have been running ever since and was able to run a 1:15 half marathon after the injury and almost break 3 hours for the marathon at 40 years of age
I wear heel lifts that are about 3/8" thick in my shoe that go forward as far as the end of my arch. I don't know. Unfortunately, I did not do physical therapy and my right leg is weaker than my left leg. I can see this when I'm riding a bike with dual power meters
Oh, the car was going 100 km/h and I had about a 1% chance of surviving the injury. I'm 62 and run between 40 and 50 miles/week and am shooting for a 3:45 marathon. I don't know about you but all things considered, I'd consider that a success story
Thanks to all for the helpful info.
Naperville, you and "Just the facts" both mentioned heel insert rather than full-length insert. Shouldn't the whole foot (right foot for me) be raised for leveling effect rather than just the heel portion.
Naperville, your situation (auto accident) wouldn't apply here, but did others who made the switch notice more smoothness in there running form?
Also, what about race results before and after?
Keep them coming.
Yes, full length of the foot is better than just the heel. I would say my form probably improved, because my hip injury went away. I am old and slow, and haven't trained seriously in years, so I can't point to any specific race results. But being able to run is better than not being able to run, and I think it added years to my running "career".
By the way, I had my legs measured on x-rays, so I know it's an actual leg length discrepancy. Have you had that done? How big is the difference?
Malehide wrote:
1. Is one leg shorter than the other?
2. Did you put extra insert in one shoe to "balance out"?
3. Did it work? Did you get faster? Did you feel smoother in your running?
Insightful and well reasoned replies appreciated.
Bill Rodgers. Multiple Boston marathon wins. One shoe had a thicker midsole, custom made by Nike. Saw the shoe photo in Runner's World.
Joaquim Cruz has it quite bad. It’s quite evident in his stride. Nike made him spikes with lifts to accommodate his leg length difference. His spikes (shoes) are visibly different heights.
I have 1 cm difference according to X-rays done by a chiropractor (6mm in femur and 4 mm in tibia) on left side. I ran with it untreated, and got to national level (sub 4 mile etc) but hip and calf injuries prevented me from running more than 80 miles per week during cross country season. In track season, I always seemed to be slightly injured and spent most weeks recovering from races and then doing easy runs and strides before races with no real training. I was always able to train harder and longer during cross country season.
Running against world class guys, I felt my form was slightly awkward compared to them, but my running form was decent. I now wonder if my leg bone symmetry was perfect, could I have been better.
I also wonder how accurate the result is. I should have it measured somewhere else and see if they come up with the same numbers.
Some chiros just X-ray your hips and claim they can detect a leg length discrepancy. Some with use a tape measure, which is worthless. I went to one who x-rayed my entire legs while standing. That’s how he came with the numbers for both femur and tibia.
I ran/raced periodically in 40s and now 50s. I dabbled with full length inserts, but felt they made me run worse and made one shoe too tight. I stopped using them.
Apparently most people have a discrepancy but what about real smooth runners with beautiful form? They are not “most people.” Maybe that’s their secret, perfect leg symmetry.
Get your legs properly x-rayed to determine the length of actual discrepancy and which leg bones it’s in.
Someone should do a study on this on world class athletes and national class athletes.
Malehide wrote:
Off the Grid wrote:
Steve Prefontaine
?
Pre's right leg was 1/2" shorter than his left