Can Low Back Pain be due to uneven hips?

When someone is suffering with low back pain, it is important to take into consideration how well  the base of the spine is balanced. In this blog we are discussing 3 signs of uneven hips that may contribute to  the low back pain.

The Foundation

As the foundation of a house should be level, allowing for stability of the structures above the base. No one wants to live in a house with wonky foundations. Uneven foundations means that cracks may appear in walls, ceilings etc.

3 Signs of Uneven Hips

If you have low back pain then checking the balance in base of the spine is often missed. Check each of the following  signs:

1. Uneven hips

Stand in front of a mirror with the palm of the hands on the top of your pelvis. Does it look like the left and right sides are level is  one higher than the other?

2. Feet not reaching pedals on push bike, road bike or horse

When one leg is shorter than the other, sitting on a bike or horse may mean that to reach both pedals.  The pelvis will need to tilt to the side of the low leg. You may have have noticed this, however, not realised that is was because of a short leg.

3. Stand with one knee bent.

If one leg is shorter than the other, most people will tend to stand with the longer leg bent at the knee. This allows for more balance in the pelvis.

What are some of the signs and symptoms of a short leg

The spine sits on a base called a the sacrum, which is a triangular shaped bone. The sacrum joins the spine to the pelvis. Uneven leg length can cause a tilt in the sacrum and a subsequent tilt in the spine. Here are some of the things we see in our office:

  • Pain in the low back
  • Pain the the pelvis, hips
  • Scoliosis
  • Tilt in the pelvis
  • Change in the walking pattern

How do we fix the problem?

As chiropractors we determine the amount of imbalance by taking X-rays. Measuring the difference in the leg length is not accurate enough. Depending on the difference, we can add a heel lift to the short leg side.

Do you have uneven hips?

Give your local chiropractor a call and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

If you haven’t checked in with your low back mobility then CLICK HERE to check out how you can do that.  Find out how well your hips move then  CLICK HERE.

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Lisa, director

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