Information for Medical Professionals

Leg length inequality linked to osteoarthritis

Leg length inequality has been linked to the incidence of both the incidence and progression of osteoarthritis of the knee.

According to the new cohort study funded by the National Institute on Aging, leg-length inequality is a "potentially modifiable risk factor" in the development of the condition.

The researchers behind the paper looked at 3,026 participants aged between 50 and 79 years.

All patients included in the study either had or displayed a high risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.

The measured the discrepancy in leg length of each patient using full-limb radiography.

"Compared with leg-length inequality less than 1 cm, leg-length inequality of 1 cm or more was associated with prevalent radiographic and symptomatic osteoarthritis," the researchers claimed.

However, they added that one of the limitations of the study was that the relatively short follow-up period made it difficult to differentiate between cases of incidence and progression.

According to recent research published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, joint stiffness following leg-lengthening surgery is related directly to the magnitude of lengthening.

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