Debbi -re scoliosis & shortened leg- - Back to MIKE

[Guest guest]

>>>I started my reply to your post several hours ago and had to step back

from it for a while because my blood pressure and irritation levels were

starting

to go through the roof. I could not possibly tell you how many dozens of

times I have been told over the years by different chiros and osteos that " your

right (or left) leg is about an inch (or two) shorter than the other. " <<<

*************

I totally understand your agitation when trying to convey this issue Mike~~

All that you say is very interesting and plausible. I would never had

understood this issue before but I have read several of your prior post on this

subject. Because I had been told that I had a length discrepancy, I was

interested enough that I called my Rheumy to see if I was right in assuming that

I had

had certain x-ray tests that " proved " my leg was shorter. That it was indeed

an actual " measurement " .

He did confirm this and also said that it is NOT common for a physician to

request such a test. It takes quite a while on the table (xray) and is

generally not covered under today's " insurance plans " (and I use the work " plan "

loosely)!

He told me that he ordered this test for me for me for several reasons.

Because he was trying to be sure of the suspicion of EDS he did not want to

leave

one rock or pebble unturned in doing a complete exam with all the data

possible.

First he noticed the very obvious bend in my back on examination in all

positions.

Second his observation that one side of my body was " tilted " when standing

straight. (that is after he positioned me so that I was as straight as I could

be).

Third, my shoulder surgery to repair what is now obviously EDS damage to my

right shoulder after a water skiing accident gave the illusion that I was

holding myself lopsided when in fact it was most likely the results of the

tightening and reconstruction surgery.

The fourth issue was all my injuries as a child and young adult to my ankles.

Being in some sort of brace/cast/boot for the majority of my life could have

contorted the ligaments and muscles giving the illusion of length discrepancy.

The fifth (not sure final) was that I have bilateral breast augmentation and

this has (unbeknown to me) changed my posture dramatically. **He made me

bring in pictures of myself standing prior to the augmentation to show me what

he

meant) But that is a different post entirely!**

This test, the one to determine bone length, took quite some time. He had

ordered my whole body to be measured. Head to neck to shoulder ratio, leg,

arms, tailbone to cranium the whole works. I guess they then actually take a

measuring tool and measure all the component parts.

His face was really funny while reading my films.

Because I have EDS and I am stretched out yet have had many reconstructive

surgeries that have " tightened and restructured " various joints the measurements

were all over the chart! The note from the radiologist was something like

" Thank you for referring this young woman for skeletal measurements. She was

indeed a challenge to place in an exact category...... " He used words like

unique, interesting, puzzling!

LOL! I could have warned him of that!

As far as I am considered...

Just because I have a measurable shortening does NOT mean that there are

other things happening too!

>>One possibility is a unilateral shortening of the Psoas. A second could be

a chronically contracted Quadratus Lumborum muscle on just one side (this, by

the way, would also contribute to a scoliotic posture as the body compensated

to keep the head in a mid-line position). A third could be a jammed SI joint

causing a pelvic tilt or rotation. Or how about contractures in any of the

muscles that abduct the hip (pull it out and away from the body)? <<

YEP!

There has to be a reason that my ....

{{{OK... I am going to show my ignorance in medicine here...}}}

The ligaments that hold your butt connected to your back bone (what ever that

is called) keeps slipping " off and out " which causes my hip/pelvas to

" dislocate " . This has to be connected to something like what you describe

above.

>>ANY of the above fascial and/or muscle dysfunctions could exert sufficient

force over time to sublux the lumbar vertebrae or screw up the SI joint. <<