# Leg length discrepancy and what to do about it?



## 2IT (24 Apr 2016)

The right leg seems to be a little longer than the left while riding. I can see it in the mirror indoors and outdoors notice the leg travels slightly differently while pedaling. The shorter leg also doesn't seem to want to bottom out like the longer leg and sometimes has a little downward toe point at the bottom of the stroke.

What to do a about this discrepancy? The issue is really in my hips because the legs are the same length. So I can do some physio for that; however, I'm not optimistic. 

Some fitters add a shim on shorter leg between cleat and shoe. Has this worked for you?

Thinking of lowering the saddle until it's works for the shorter leg. Currently getting saddle sores on the shorter left side from the pinching motion that seems to be made when the crank wants to travel downward further than the leg. For me it would probably be just an eighth to a quarter of an inch. Has this worked for you? 

For the saddle sores honey has worked best so far. Have also tried hydro-cortisone and tea tree oil. Would like to get my hands on some of MEFIX tape but can't find a retailer here in the states.

Thank you for letting me know how you have dealt with this issue.


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## vickster (24 Apr 2016)

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/dodgy-knee-short-cranks-pendulum-cranks-pain-and-relief.165522/


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## slowmotion (24 Apr 2016)

Could you use different length cranks on each side? That's just a suggestion, but I cant see why it shouldn't work.


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## Fab Foodie (24 Apr 2016)

I'd go for different length cranks as well as a first step ....


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## 2IT (24 Apr 2016)

Fab Foodie said:


> I'd go for different length cranks as well as a first step ....



Well that seems to be an expensive way to go given that they are Ultegra cranks and I have more than one bike. Does the shorter crank go with the shorter leg? Also on the longer crank, won't that be coming up higher closer to chest on the upswing? In the previous thread mentioned about he wrote that he had another problem related to the crank being further out.

Has anyone tried the shim on the shorter leg? Lowering the seat post?

I'm going to try the lower seat post first and the shim second. Wouldn't mind hearing if this has worked for others.


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## screenman (24 Apr 2016)

If you are really keen I would say a professional fit would be the way to go.

You might well make the problems worse by going the diy route.


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## roadrash (24 Apr 2016)

i think @mickle could have the answer to this one


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## Fab Foodie (24 Apr 2016)

2IT said:


> Well that seems to be an expensive way to go given that they are Ultegra cranks and I have more than one bike. Does the shorter crank go with the shorter leg? Also on the longer crank, won't that be coming up higher closer to chest on the upswing? In the previous thread mentioned about he wrote that he had another problem related to the crank being further out.
> 
> Has anyone tried the shim on the shorter leg? Lowering the seat post?
> 
> I'm going to try the lower seat post first and the shim second. Wouldn't mind hearing if this has worked for others.


I'd have thought the shorter crank with the shorter leg, I don't think that one leg coming a few mm higher than the other would be an issue. But I take your point.

Re: the shim, could you experiment with a pair of flat pedals and then tie-wrap a wooden shim(s) to one side of the pedal and see if that works for starters. I take your point that a pedal shim will describe a higher circle relative to the BB axle than a shorter crank and that might be a better fix.


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## pauldavid (24 Apr 2016)

You could bolt a block of wood to the pedal with the shorter leg.

My grandad carried this mod out on my first bike to great effect because the bike was too bloody big. On reflection he could have just got me a bike the right size in the first place.


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## Milkfloat (24 Apr 2016)

Send a shim for a year, had the problem partially fixed by a chiropractor but ultimately it was surgery that resolved it. I will hasten to add, all this was caused by back problems, the unequal leg length was just a symptom.

The shims helped, the chiropractor helped even more.


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## raleighnut (24 Apr 2016)

With a shim on the shorter leg the effect will be to make the shorter leg have to come up further, different length crankarms is the way to go ( the shorter arm describes a smaller circle)


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## HLaB (24 Apr 2016)

I've been using a shim for the last 2 or 3 years it works for me; before my hip joint made an audible click after every ride now its only does that occasionally and its a lot less audible when it does.


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## HarryTheDog (24 Apr 2016)

My daughter had been told she had one leg longer than the other by a physio's and a bike fitter , turned out to be probably rubbish. I tracked down a expert bike fitter/sport rehabilitation person at Pedal Precision based at the national cycling centre in Manchester, ok a bit far for you to go. We expected him to fit cleat shims . He did not even have to see her on the bike to diagnose it was her back, one leg shorter than the other was a optical illusion caused by the way she stood and sat on a bike, but he measured everything to make sure. It was probably due to her being kicked by a horse when around 14.
She is undergoing self physio excercises to sort it, won't know if works for a while yet. ( causes knee pain) 
So my advice is trawl the internet for a top guy in the field of body geometry and bike fit and go and see him, might be one leg is shorter than the other you never know.


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## betty swollocks (25 Apr 2016)

Highpath do crank shortening.


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## TheJDog (25 Apr 2016)

Unless the discrepancy is big (more than a cm?), I would just drop the saddle to the recommended height for the shorter leg and let my longer leg sort itself out. As long as you take it reasonably easy while you get used to it... I am not a physio or a bike fitter, but I do have one leg slightly (.5cm or so) shorter than the other myself (according to my bike fitter).


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## mickle (25 Apr 2016)

If it is a genuine leg length discrepancy and not a back issue (and it's not more than about 8mm) shim the cleat. _Crank shortening_ can only be done where the new pedal hole doesn't ovelap the original hole, so only suitable where the discrepancy exceeds about 15mm. A shorter crank will describe an overall smaller diameter and this will have an (however slight) effect on the leverage ratio (ie. gearing). If you reduce the crank length by 50% - for example - you double the effort required to push it.


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## Ajax Bay (25 Apr 2016)

2IT said:


> Does the shorter crank go with the shorter leg?


Or longer one for the longer leg. You'll want to change the left side crank, of course. Doesn't have to be Ultegra: just has to be the same crank/bb fit. Why not try it on the bike you use most with a cheap crank arm which is 5mm longer/shorter? But support the idea of a bike fit by someone you trust (ie is not just running a formula and can cope with deformities and aberrations).


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## DWiggy (25 Apr 2016)

I too have the same problem with leg length, about an inch difference from talipes, always difficult getting a good position on the saddle as good leg fits well while "nemo" leg doesn't quite make it to the bottom of the peddle stroke, becomes a right pain in the ass (literally) 
always though about getting shims would be interesting to know the results, never thought of different length cranks, sound like a good idea


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## 2IT (30 Apr 2016)

TheJDog said:


> Unless the discrepancy is big (more than a cm?), I would just drop the saddle to the recommended height for the shorter leg and let my longer leg sort itself out. As long as you take it reasonably easy while you get used to it... I am not a physio or a bike fitter, but I do have one leg slightly (.5cm or so) shorter than the other myself (according to my bike fitter).



So far it's worked. Lowered saddle a little less than a quarter of an inch. Saddle sore is going away and getting better. The bicycle computer says that I am now paddling at a 50:50 balance. Now it feels like I can "mash" the pedals down with both legs instead of just one. 

Did not have a big leg length discrepancy but this seemed to take care of it.


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