If You Have Uneven Legs, Which Leg Will Get the ITBS? (Read 2100 times)

Assuming you're running on an even road.

I just went to my therapist this morning and he fitted me with a lift for my left leg. According to him, the longer leg is generally more prone to injury (in my case, SI joint stuff). I would imagine this may include ITBS as well. I can see this since I have had ITBS on the side of my longer leg... as well as tendinitis. Hmm, maybe he is indeed right Here's hoping the lift does what it is supposed to do.

Interesting. I also have problems with ITBS and it's definitely worse on my longer, right leg. Let us know how the lift works. I thought of getting it too, but I was afraid it would completely screw up my training.

How could something to correct this issue screw up your training any worse than trying to run with it? ITBS is hell. I had it and it didn't get better until I completely, totally rested. Maybe your case is more mild but why put up with it at all if you can get it treated?

When I got ITBS, I had it in my longer leg; it was during track season, and that surface is pretty flat. After a couple months of rest, I started running again with an orthotic to try and correct the issue. I didn't get ITBS again, but I did have new pain in my hip on the side with the lift. Not pain that warranted long rest, just a new ache that was never there before. I think putting a lift in is another way of trying to change your natural biomechanics, which may or may not be beneficial.

Ok maybe this is a really stupid question but 1) how do you know you have uneven legs and 2) how do you know which is longer. Ok that is two stupid questions but indulge me please. I am trying to get past some ITBS issues that came up in January and I also frequently have alignment problems in my lower back. ....

You can see that you have uneven legs if there's an assymetry in your lower back which disappears when one of the legs is slightly lifted. And the leg that needs to be lifted is the shorter one. At least that's true in my case. You can use two mirrors or a camera to examine your lower back, although if you want to be completely sure you should visit an orthopedist. I was actually diagnosed with it when I was a child but it never bothered me until I started running. My ITBS tends to flare up only when I run faster (i.e. use longer strides) and it when I run slowly (very short strides) it disappears almost completely.

When you live with a structural imbalance all your life, your body adapts to it and trying to correct it may actually cause more injuries than it prevents. I can control my ITBS through running slowly, as it only flares up when I increase my speed. The problem with getting a heel lift is that I might find out that I'm not able to run at all due to a different stress I'm being exposed.

That makes some sense of course, but I'd still think over time the benefits would outweigh the problems. With an uneven leg you're putting imbalanced force all through your body which over time will cause problems too. Have you ever tried a heel lift? Could it be done by degrees? Say if you need 1/2" of correction, could you go in 1/8" increments so your body had time to adjust?

Try a wedge shaped makeup sponge. They recommend those if you've strained an Achille's tendon. Or you could just buy the extra-thick Dr. Scholl's insoles and only put it on the short side and see how you feel before you go investing tons of $$$.