In the journals: Unequal leg length may be a risk for osteoarthritis of the knee
As part of the nationwide Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study, researchers collected data on 3,026 adults ages 50 to 79 who had knee pain or were at risk for knee osteoarthritis. X-rays were taken to measure leg length and evaluate knee osteoarthritis at the start of the study and after 30 months. People whose legs differed in length by at least 1 centimeter (almost a half-inch) were more likely than people with equal-length legs to have osteoarthritis at the start of the study and more likely to develop the symptoms during the study. Any symptoms they had at the start were also more likely to get worse. The shorter leg was most often affected.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Source matters. Subscribe to HarvardHealthOnline+ FREE for 30 days for unlimited access to the site – where all content is reviewed by an HMS physician or faculty expert.
With HHO+ you get these exclusive benefits:
- Unlimited access to all Harvard Health Online content
- 4 expertly curated newsletters delivered monthly
- Customized website experience aligned to your health goals
- In-depth health guides on topics like sleep, exercise, and more
- Interactive features like videos and quizzes
- Members-only access to exclusive articles and resources
SPECIAL OFFER! UNLOCK EXPERT ACCESS for 30 days FREE!
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.