I had a total ceramic hip replacement 3 weeks ago and I have been left with an inch difference in the length of my operated leg the physio has advised me to get an insert for my shoe she said they sold them in boots the chemist but I can't see anything was wondering if anyone else has the same problem
Hi annette i had thr in my r hip and i to have a length difference of about an inch i was told at my six wk check it would settle my doctor just said its common in thr that was no comfort to me as i walk with a limp and ito makes my gd side ache like u i was told to get inserts i had my hip done on the 30 of dec and its no better so i relate to your problem i will try inserts hope u have some success with yours
If the leg is now 1 inch short and if you wish the leg lengths to be equal or almost equal then your lift has to be about 1 inch high. If your insert is 1 inch high then there could be some difficulty getting your shoe on. Inserts are at the most are 1 quarter inch thick so this seems impracticable. I would imagine that a visit to some old shoe repair shop who most likely has had some experience over the years with this problem. Also in the hospital where you had the OP done the orthotist, the person who makes orthopaedic appliances could advise you and or do your shoe for you.
Good luck
Mine is half a inch and my shoe repairs shop built them up. Mind it's a bit pricey but better than inserts, you have been left with a lot of difference in leg length, dose it make your back acke
Talk to your GP and see if you can get a referral to the orthotics dept at the hospital. I would say that 1" is too much for most shoes and you will find that the heels don't grip. You could try putting a heel insert under a full insert which will give you about half an inch or a bit more and see how you feel. Up to half an inch of leg difference seems to be manageable without a major limp. If that doesn't work then you will need to modify the footwear and I would try a proper orthotist first because then you will see what can be done. From my mother's experience the NHS will only modify a limited number of shoes and then carry on with occasional new shoes. Some chiropodists have access to inserts or can recommend private sources of help. I had a pelvic problem pre-op which created a similar problem. Thank heavens my surgeon sorted it out at op but I'm having to work to keep it stable.
Hi Annette, my op was 5 weeks ago. At first I was alarmed by the difference in leg length. It was ver noticeable. Now there is still a difference, but it is about a centimetre, I think. I wonder will it settle a bit more in the next few weeks. I prefer the idea of getting the shoe repairer to build up my shoe, as I find inserts very uncomfortable.
Kay
Hi I feel very disappointed to hear so many of us with leg length differences after hip surgery it really shouldn't happen. I was born with a dislocated hip and it wasn't detected until I started walking the corrective treatment wasn't what it should have been and I was left with a leg length descrepancy and a limp. I have now had a full hip replacement privately and the consultant told me he would be able to correct the leg length with a custom made implant. Well he hasn't and the descrepancy is an inch, more or less what it was before. I have seen a podiatrist and I have orthotic insoles but they cannot make up that amount of difference, the backs of the shoes are just not high enough, they are uncomfortable and expensive £220 for a pair. I am now considering revision surgery.
Hi Annette, I had the same problem when I did my right hip replacement May 2013, but in my case, the doctor told me then that when we do the left hip (yes I needed both replaced) then the discrepancy would be eliminated. I had my left hip done this past March 2014, but for about 10 months between the 2 surgeries, it was Hell. I got lots of Dr.Scholl's gel heels to put in the shorter leg but they did not really help a lot, I could not go for long walks - it was simply misery. Now my two legs are the same length (i think!) but it still feels funny walking, I do not think I have a limp but it is not exactly perfect and I do not know what to make of it. I have my 6 weeks follow up visit next week and plan to discuss this with doctor.
I know this is gonna sound really daft but are you measuring your leg's with a tape measure or is it a fact that if you're limping you've got a leg length difderence. I know I have to have a left thr -when I'm ready, and I limp very badly - does this mean my legs are different lengths? I'm sorry this is a question and not a solution!!!
I have just over half a inch discrepancy so ha my shoe built up at a good shoe repairs and it's much better than the in soles
Pre op I had an apparent 1" or more difference which developed over a few weeks. My physio measured my legs using anatomical landmarks and said that the problem was in my pelvic geometry. It is worth getting a professional to measure you as you can't do this for yourself. If it is geometry then manipulation and exercise may help to correct it - I assume that they did this under the anaesthetic for me, I am now having to work at it to stop the geometry going back because the muscle imbalance is still there as the muscle resting length changed while I was going through diagnosis and the pre-op process.
If the discrepancy is real then you have to work out the best way of managing it. Insoles are cheap, Alterations to the soles can be more expensive if you have to pay but I would say are more comfortable. Insoles are good if you think that you may be able to reduce the discrepancy by exercise and manipulation because the sole changes are permanent.
Yes your legs length pre-op may be different. Before i had my right hip fixed, my left leg was shorter and i was limping. I could not understand why my pants always looked uneven when i looked in the mirror until the doctor told me that it was because cartilage in the shorter hip was completely worn out and was pushing or grinding the bone. I had both hips replaced eventually.
Lots of controversy regarding leg lengths before and after hip arthroplasty.
Google "PubMed: Discrepancy in leg length after hip replacement". At times in Pub Med you can get the whole article and at times a concise version. To the right of the Googled copy you may find, several similar scipts with conclusions.
Hi, I have had both hips replaced and there was a gap of 7 months inbetween hip operations when one leg was considerably longer than the other, I found jelly heel lifts very helpful, you can make the inserts up to whatever height you want. I bought them on the internet and they really helped me walk evenly until I got my 2nd hip done. The inserts usually come from China and seem to take longer to arrive so I would order asap, they are only a few pounds and come with a lot of sections so you can add as many or few as you need and are made of silicon I think. If you type in heel lifts to your favorite internet shopping website I'm sure they will come up. Hope this is of some help.
Same with me. I had both hips done 10 months apart, and i also had over 1 inch length discrepancy during the 10 months. I purchased dr. Scholl's gel heels that you can find in any stores, i would use several of them stacked to put in the shoe of the shorter leg. It did work...sort of. It was very helpful for walking around the house and short distances, but i could not go for long hikes, like 2-3 miles.
Hi, It is seven weeks since my THR and my operated leg seemed to be approx 1 centimetre longer, enough to cause back ache after a walk without crutches. I went to my Physio yesterday and her opinion is that the reason for the apparent discrepancy is that my pelvis is still quite stiff on operated side, and it is the way I am standing/holding myself, that makes one leg appear longer. I think she has a point. Kay.
Talk to your surgeon and follow his advice,otherwise I found myself totally confused as every therapist gave different advice about leg discrepancy /shoe lifts / exercise/amount of walking /speed of walking etc .I am 23 months post op THR and have varying degrees of mild/ moderate pain . Best advice I can give is Pace yourself and listen to your body ....rest when you need to and get on with life !
Some surgeons need to answer for their incompetence in measurement! Mr Maxwell has done the same to me but He has already operated on me twice & made me worse each time! Now I am being referred to a specialist hospital to see whether they suggest reoperating to lengthen shortened leg due to THR (I know people that have had this done) or whether to replace other side & get legs the same length. Wedges only work to some degree as difference in incline & weight distribution also ended up affecting my back, which I am also getting referred for - that said - 3 months post op & I'm back doing breastroke - totally different person in the water. People cant believe seeing the gymnast in the water transform back to a cripple as she gets out. I now take a raised flipflop & crutch with me 
Some surgeons need to answer for their incompetence in measurement! Mr Maxwell has done the same to me but He has already operated on me twice & made me worse each time! Now I am being referred to a specialist hospital to see whether they suggest reoperating to lengthen shortened leg due to THR (I know people that have had this done) or whether to replace other side & get legs the same length. Wedges only work to some degree as difference in incline & weight distribution also ended up affecting my back, which I am also getting referred for - that said - 3 months post op & I'm back doing breastroke - totally different person in the water. People cant believe seeing the gymnast in the water transform back to a cripple as she gets out. I now take a raised flipflop & crutch with me
old fashioned cobbler is in process of raising 5 pairs of my shoes at the base then incline/weight distribution should even out x