Not only will YOU gain Neurological Function but YOU will impede Arthritis

Doctors of Chiropractic are often concerned with a patient’s leg length inequality (LLI) or discrepancy.  LLI is a direct portrayal of neuromuscular dysfunction exhibited by the body.  The inequality is usually due to a functional imbalance in the body’s kinetic chain causing neurological insult.  Due to the nature of LLI, it takes time to correct because the muscles and ligaments may be chronically sprained/strained.  Pay close attention to the picture shown below, as it depicts how spinal/extraspinal dysfunctions can cause LLI.

Various causes may exist and are not limited to the following:

(1). Subluxation/dysfunction of the hip-joint: causing compensatory alterations by the joint and muscles that impact on the joint.

(2). Sacroiliac joint subluxation/dysfunctions

(3). The iliosacral joint subluxation/dysfunction

(4). Shortened hamstring muscles.

(5). Occipito-Atlantal joint subluxation/dysfunction

(6). Sacral dysfunction (nutation or counter nutation)

(7). Plus many more…

A recent study evaluated 3,000 adults aged 50 to 79 who either had knee pain or risk factors for knee osteoarthritis as a part of the Multi Centre Osteoarthritis Study (MOST). Subjects were reassessed after a 30-month period and it was found that arthritic changes in the knee were most significant in individuals with leg length inequality.  The shorter leg being more affected.  The researchers claim that arthritis in the knee is linked to the common trait of having one leg that is longer than the other.  The CDC estimates that 27 million adults had osteoarthritis in 2005 and An estimated 294,000 children under age 18 have some form of arthritis or  rheumatic condition; this represents approximately 1 in every 250 children in the U.S. http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/arthritis_related_stats.htm

Preventive measures should be taken before the onset of chronic and painful arthritis.  Preventative measures include specific chiropractic adjustments to re-align involved areas, soft tissue therapies to equalize muscle balance, and dietary/exercise programs.  From receiving chiropractic adjustments, a joint regains optimal neurological function.  Orthotics should only be sought after maximal chiropractic improvement has been ascertained or over the course of chiropractic care in order to make minor alterations.

Study Reference:

William F. Harvey, Mei Yang, Theodore D.v. Cooke, Neil A. Segal, Nancy Lane, Cora E. Lewis, and David T. Felson. Association of Leg-Length Inequality With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Cohort Study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2010; 152: 287-295