Skip to main content

Short leg syndrome

Standing straight when one leg is shorter is the equivalent of standing sideways on a hill. The person cannot help but lean to the shorter side. The spine may compensate by tilting the upper body in the opposite direction. This produces a "scoliosis" or sideways deviation of the spine. It also concentrates gravitational and kinetic stress on the area where the spine transitions to the sacrum and pelvis... the lumbo-sacral junction....  NOT GOOD.

Often a person will try to compensate for a short leg by perching on short leg, usually with the longer leg bent at the knee and turned out...effectively shortening the long leg. NOT GOOD. Rather than balancing the pelvis, fatigue and strain usually causes the pelvis to over compensate. In either case, the distortion of the spine unevenly loads the joints and muscles, and promotes faster wear and tear, and injury.

If you, or someone you care about, is persistently perching on one leg, or complaining of back pain, this needs to be evaluated.

The sooner the better.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at drwaynecoghlan@gmail.com

Popular posts from this blog

Is good posture worth a year’s supply of prozac?

Posture vs: Prozac In this article, I am comparing the effects of improved posture on relieving a mild to moderately depressed mood, a condition that may otherwise be medically managed by pharmaceuticals such as Prozac. This is for reader's information and not intended as a guide to treatment.   Respectfully submitted for your evaluation. As you are sitting now at your computer station, allow yourself to slump in your chair… if you aren’t already. Computer Posture Give it a minute or so to give it time to sink in. Answer a few more emails if you wish. As you are now sitting slumped, take notice of how you feel in your chest….try taking a deep breath. You will likely be feeling constricted and the deep breath will be less than satisfying. Notice the feeling in your shoulders, the heaviness in your arms.. .. perhaps tension or fatigue in the back of your neck.... that load in your neck and shoulders get transferred to the lower back and add...
https://drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.com/

Aching Back No More - Straw Bale Gardening!

In this post, I’ll discuss two things I enjoy very much: helping you become and stay healthier through chiropractic, and gardening. More specifically, let me introduce you to STRAW BALE GARDENING.   Who should plant a Straw Bale Garden?   Can't do heavy lifting?   If you are less capable or less interested in doing the heavy work of traditional gardening, such as tilling the soil, constant weeding, unending insect battles and persistent disease spraying, Straw Bale Gardening virtually eliminates these challenges. Can't bend over?   If you have a physical limitation or handicap that restricts you from getting down on the ground, you will appreciate the easier access to the higher surface of a straw bale, which eliminates the bending to plant and harvest.  Poor soil or limited space?   If your have a low soil quality, or if you have limited space that you can devote to a garden, you will love Straw Bale...
https://drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.com/

Dr. Wayne Coghlan: Chiropractor - locum tenens

Wayne Coghlan, B.Sc., M.A., D.C. Ontario Chiropractor  locum tenens www.drwaynecoghlan.weebly.com drwaynecoghlan@gmail.com 705 447-7003 Wayne Coghlan:   Chiropractor    -   Available for locums Doctor of Chiropractic Residing in Mississauga, Ontario.  Available to serve the chiropractic profession as  chiropractor locum tenens 30 years clinical experience, sole practitioner, Collingwood Chiropractic & Sports Injury Clinic, Collingwood, Ontario. Sole practitioner Diversified, sports injuries and rehabilitation, soft tissue therapy, custom foot orthotics, injury prevention, posture correction, lifestyle modification and coach, ultrasound, interferential, combine MSK with nerve pressure model, low intensity laser, x-rays, shockwave therapy, WSIB, MVA, PMP, Universal.  Registered and in good standing with CCO OCA CCA CCPA Available to travel throughout Ontario. Locations outside of an hour or so radius may require accommodatio...
https://drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.com/

Mediterranean Diet and Living Well Longer

Dr. Wayne Coghlan, B.Sc., M.A., D.C. Ontario Chiropractor / Counselling Psychology, anger management www.drwaynecoghlan.com drwaynecoghlan@gmail.com Mediterranean diet has marked impact on aging First study to link women, Mediterranean diet, and biomarkers of aging. Mediterranean Diet - Live younger longer... and enjoy it! T he Mediterranean diet consistently has been linked with an array of health benefits, including decreased risk of chronic disease and cancer. Until now, however, no studies had associated the diet with longer telomeres , one of the biomarkers of aging. In a study published Tuesday online in The BMJ , researchers at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) found that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet correlated with longer telomeres. Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes that get shorter every time a cell divides. Shorter telomeres have been associated with decreased life expectancy and incr...
https://drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.com/

Chiropractic and Safety of Adjustments

Chiropractic: Safe and Effective Health Care Answering your questions about neck adjustment Chiropractic care has a strong safety record and is widely accepted as a drug-free, surgery-free form of health care. However, no health treatment is completely free of potential adverse effects – even common non-prescription pain relievers carry a risk. Fortunately, adverse effects associated with chiropractic adjustment are usually minor and short-term. What is a neck adjustment and how do I benefit from this procedure? A neck adjustment (also known as a cervical manipulation) is a precise manual procedure applied to the joints of the neck. Your chiropractor has received extensive training to perform this procedure. Neck adjustment works to improve the mobility of the spinal joints in the neck to reduce muscle tightness, restore range of motion and help relieve pressure and tension. Patients typically notice a reduction of pain, soreness and stiffness, improved ability to turn and tilt their h...
https://drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.com/

An investment that pays you now, and in the years to come.

Health Investment: Pays you now... and in the years to come. New house in good shape It takes very little investment in dollars and effort to move into a new house ...and let it fall apart. Ignore the loose shingles, and water gets into the walls and footings. Ignore the moisture on the window sills and eventually , the windows rot out. Neglect the crack in the foundation wall and the frame starts to shift. Without any effort, bit by bit, the house deteriorates until it is no longer fit to live in. Derilect house In the same way, it takes very little investment and effort to neglect your health. Every time you overdo the body becomes distorted. Every time you underdo , the body weakens. Bit by bit, you deteriorate until your body is no longer fit to live in. The trouble is, you are stuck in it. With the house you live in, fixing little problems and keeping the place in order does take the investment of some time, and effort, and yes....money. Yet, the house stays c...
https://drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.com/

Fit in 15

Starting a new habit and sticking to it is difficult for many people. So many things get in the way and your favourite comfy chair or TV program look good after a long, busy day. Here are some tips to help you fit-in your fifteen minutes each day and get you started. The Fit-in 15 website contains links to Canada’s Physical Activity Guides for more ideas on healthy active living: http://fitin15.ca/QuickQuiz http://fitin15.ca/ecms.aspx/resources/eng_rack_card.pdf http://www.smartspot.ca/smart_t_bmi_tool.aspx
https://drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.com/

Sleep Better

Sleep Better Sleep Better - Some suggestions We all have times when adequate sleep seems to elude us.   For the most part, these episodes are a short lived part of the normal cycles of life. * Persistent lack of sleep - beyond several weeks at a time - produces fatigue, depression, confusion, impaired short-term memory, concentration and alertness. Long term lack of sleep impairs your ability to fight off disease and repair tissue. Effects of chronic sleep deprivation Your proper sleep pattern is what works for you. There are documented cases of people who get by very well with only a few hours of sleep yet others who feel their best with ten! People in many tropical countries find it very necessary to enjoy their mid-day ciesta. If you are reasonably well rested through your day and able to function well, lack of sleep is not necessarily your problem. Your habits - both what you think and do - can cause many chronic sleep problems.   Sleep ...
https://drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.com/

Foot Orthotics

Where necessary, I will recommend a patient get a pair of foot orthotics to stabilize their posture. When you are sitting (in socks or bare feet), notice the general shape of the arch of the foot. A few people will have flat arches, most have a fairly obvious curve. Stand now and note if the arch drops substantially. If so, note how the ankle rolls in, the knees turn, as do the hips. You may be feeling a bit of pressure in your lower back because the distortion from the foot works its way up, the pelvis tips forward and in turn cause the low back to arch more. That’s like bending your fingers back…eventually it becomes sore in the joints. Pronated feet may be the reason behind plantar fasciitis.. that is really sore feet first thing in the morning.. ankle arthritis pains, bunions, pain under the knee caps, hip degeneration and low back problems. Theoretically, a person’s headaches could be related to pronated (fallen arches) feet through a sequential distortion of the kinetic (the foot...
https://drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.com/

Miracle Mediterranean Diet

Olive Oil, Fresh Vegetables, and Wine are part of the Mediterranean Diet. People who have scanned my blog will appreciate that I promote doing the basic things well, and most of the other problems we have tend to diminish. I do promote a diet with more fruit, vegetable, whole grains, and less meat, dairy, and egg. Alcohol, if at all, in moderation.  How much more fruit, veggies and grains? More than you are eating now. How much less meat, dairy, and egg? Less than you are eating now. No drastic changes.. just whatever you are doing…keep tweaking and you’ll get it right. Here is a well written article that gives some more information how the simple things are often the best. Dr. Wayne Coghlan. drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.ca Get ’em to the Greek (diet) LESLIE BECK , Globe and Mail, Mar. 22, 2011 It’s arguably the healthiest diet in the world. The Mediterranean diet – which emphasizes fruit and vegetables, grains, nuts and olive oil – is recognized as the...
https://drwaynecoghlan.blogspot.com/