# Leg Length Discrepancy

**URL:** <https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/leg-length-discrepancy/10098>\
**Category:** Pain & Rehab Forum \[Moderated\]\
**Created:** [December 27, 2020, 9:28pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/leg-length-discrepancy/10098 "2020-12-27T21:28:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jkoltes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jkoltes](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/jkoltes)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 9:28pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/leg-length-discrepancy/10098/1 "2020-12-27T21:28:50Z")

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Hey Docs,

My fiance is a 5’10 former D1 volleyball player. She has chronic hip pain, and an assessment by a doctor revealed that she has a one inch leg length discrepancy. The difference is visible to the naked eye, so this was not a huge revelation. The doctor referred her to physical therapy. She has detrained completely from her athletic days (7 years ago) so I assume PT might help a little, because it would be a net increase in her physical activity.

I was suprised the doctor did not recommend shimming a shoe to equalize the leg lengths. However, I don’t know if shimming is in fact sound medical advice, or something I picked up from…other sources.

Any ideas?

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**Author:** ![Michael\_Ray](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/michael_ray/32/688_2.png) [@Michael\_Ray](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Michael_Ray)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2020, 7:56pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/leg-length-discrepancy/10098/2 "2020-12-28T19:56:11Z")

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> [@jkoltes](#):
>
> Hey Docs,
> 
> My fiance is a 5’10 former D1 volleyball player. She has chronic hip pain, and an assessment by a doctor revealed that she has a one inch leg length discrepancy. The difference is visible to the naked eye, so this was not a huge revelation. The doctor referred her to physical therapy. She has detrained completely from her athletic days (7 years ago) so I assume PT might help a little, because it would be a net increase in her physical activity.
> 
> I was suprised the doctor did not recommend shimming a shoe to equalize the leg lengths. However, I don’t know if shimming is in fact sound medical advice, or something I picked up from…other sources.
> 
> Any ideas?

Hey **[jkoltes](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/member/6551-jkoltes)** - thanks for the questions. Such a leg length difference is within our expectations of normative and not something I would recommend turning into a problem needing solving based on the info you’ve provided here; especially if she’s had this for years and not an acquired LLD from a trauma for example. I don’t typically recommend shimming or shoe inserts in these contexts.

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**Author:** ![jkoltes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jkoltes](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/jkoltes)\
**Post date:** [December 30, 2020, 9:43pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/leg-length-discrepancy/10098/3 "2020-12-30T21:43:51Z")

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Thank you, I appreciate it!