1Associate Professor, S. D. M. College of Physiotherapy, Dharwad, Karnataka. India
2Post Graduate Student S. D. M. College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka, India
3Professor, S. D. M. College of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Dharwad, Karnataka, India
Low Back Pain(LBP) is estimated to affect around one-third of the adults in any month. Mild Leg Length Discrepancies(LLD's) are common and usually not felt by the patient and often neglected during the routine assessment of LBP. There are no studies reporting the prevalence of LLD in patients with LBP.
245 participants (125males and 120females) with non-specific LBP were included in the study. Two readings of the true leg length measurements were taken using the tape measurement method(TMM). Average of the two readings was used for data analysis.
Results showed a 17% prevalence of LLD in patients with LBP. The highest number of patients with LBP, were found in the age group of 25–35 years. Gender did not significantly influence the prevalence of either LBP or LLD. All the patients with were found to have mild (<3cm) LLD's.
41(17%) persons had LLD indicating that a considerable number of patients with LBP had LLD. measurement of LLD should be included as a routine in the initial assessment for LBP patients, as simple corrective methods and modifications can help in devising better interventional strategies.
Low Back Pain, Non-specific, Leg Length Measurement
