While most of the published research on leg length discrepancy
(LLD) focuses on surgical intervention, conservative care may be
helpful in this regard. Accordingly, this author discusses the
assessment of LLD and how shoe lifts can be beneficial. When it
comes to leg length discrepancies (LLDs), the literature has
infrequently described a practical approach — namely
conservative use of footwear as part of the solution — although
etiologies and surgical treatments have been well documented.
The majority of the LLD literature is geared toward surgical
intervention, perhaps because quantifying the efficacy of
conservative treatment is fairly subjective. There are so many
variables to consider, including the activity level of the
person, the body type and the way to truly assess the amount of
difference present. While the causes of LLDs are divided into
functional and structural etiologies, the simple fact remains
that the person who has a LLD is functioning every day and every
step with one leg longer than the o