Iatrogenic leg length inequality may cause low back pain due to scoliosis

Abstract

The aim of this manuscript is to discuss iatrogenic leg length inequality as an etiologic factor of degenerative scoliosis and low back pain. Iatrogenic type leg length inequality prevalence is getting higher recently, because of increasing number of hip and knee surgery parallel to the increasing number of elder people in population. We presented four cases, who had low back pain due to degenerative scoliosis caused by leg length inequality. Case 1, 2 and 3 were elder people who had previous knee or hip surgery. Case 4 was a young lady who had low back pain due to degenerative scoliosis and leg length inequality and she had no previous surgery. In Case 1, 2 and 3, leg length inequality was iatrogenic type which was caused by hip or knee surgery. This iatrogenic leg length inequality caused degenerative scoliosis same as in case 4, who had anatomical leg length inequality. Iatrogenic leg length inequality may cause degenerative scoliosis, thus low back pain. Scoliosis caused by leg length inequality cannot be compensated by elder people or even young people whose abdominal muscles week.

Keywords

• leg length inequality
• leg length discrepancy
• iatrogenic
• degenerative scoliosis
• low back pain

References

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