running injuries and leg length discrepancy?

When i had my bike fitting, they noticed the same thing.  I went and saw a sports med doctor as I have had nothing but issues my entire running career with my left leg, minor nagging injury after another.  My pelvis is rotated and causes what appears to be one leg shorter than the other.  He told me my body mechanics is what causes the issue.  He stretched me out really good, did some release on my hip and lower back and voila problem was fixed, for the time being.  I didn't keep up on the excersizes I was supposed to do and wound up in the same spot again.  I've worked with a PT and now I can tell when i am getting tight as my knee will start hurting and I have to get with the PT again and have him loosen me up again.

Best of luck.

Yep!
I am just getting over ITBS and when it was hurting the most one of my legs would be longer...... something with my hips getting out of whack.  I was able to get my legs evened out with just PT and stretching.  But if one of your legs is always longer Id go to a sports doctor- they will analyze your gait and a bunch of other stuff and get you fitted for orthodics.   Probaly help you out a ton!

I recently was told my right leg is shorter than left. I've had run injuries last year (Plantar Fas. Achillies tendinitises and very tight IT bands plus I get leg cramps a lot) and always right side was worse. I'm getting orthotics and they will adjust maybe 1/8" to my right side to make it more equal.

I saw a PT who notices my back is out of alignment two different ways probably due to the back surgery I had for herniated discs 10+ years ago. He taught me how to adjust my back to try and get things aligned right which then makes my leg length better.

I've concluded that everything from back down is connected (well duh) but it all makes much more of a difference than I had thought and an issue one place can cause problems in other areas on the chain from feet to back. 

2 types of leg length discrepancy, anatomical like Caincando, and functional or coming from the body being "out of whack," so to speak. Can come from a curvature in the lumbar spine, rotational anomalies in the pelvis (anterior, posterior, upslip, downslip, in-flare, out-flare, etc). Could come from the makeup of your ankle and foot bones, either too flexible or not flexible enough. Can also come from something as simple as you not completely extending your knee when standing. If any aspect of your leg is injured, it is often a compensatory mechanism to unweight it, hence the knee bend and the leg length change.

If you sat in a hard chair and one knee was higher, it could be from a rotational anamoly of either hip/pelvis, a drop of one foot arch or the fixation of the other, or from an anatomical leg length discrepancy of your lower leg (tibia). As you can see, it gets complicated and is impossible to diagnose in a forum.

I'd start with the referral to a sports med MD or DO, since the running injuries have been ongoing. That may lead you to PT, but either way you have a place to start.

My right leg is about 3/8 inches shorter due to a broken leg about 36 years ago.  I have run with very little problem.  I don't do much in the way of stretching or physical therapy, but I have worked on stride mechanics and resting when the first symptoms of an injury appear.  I work (still after 36 years) on running smoothly and quietly.  I am a heel-striker and try to let the heel touch and roll just like a bicycle wheel.  I also try to keep the feet just on either side of an imaginary line running between my legs.  

Being aware of the injury before it gets bad is the other key.  It is hard to tell the difference between normal soreness and an injury.  I know that the first problem to show up for me is a spot on the inside of the right knee.  The more localized the pain the more likely it is associated with an injury.   So if you can touch a spot that hurts, it is probably a better day to swim.

TW 

I agree that it could be from a hip rotation or it could be a true leg length.  My suggestion to you would be to get a MD to send you to PT where they will be able to tell and you may just need a insert in your shoe that would equal you out, or a pair of orthotics to decrease your pronation.

Good Luck!

Thanks!  I never thought about it coming from the feet/ankles, but that makes total sense.  Stood in front of a full length mirror, and the left ankle bone is noticeable lower than the right, and the left arch sits on the ground - looks like it may be the foot structure.  Guess I'll go see a sports med for orthotics or PT.