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Validity of measuring leg length with a tape measure compared to a computed tomography scan
Kurt Neelly, Harvey W. Wallmann, and Chad J. Backus
Physiotherapy Theory and Practice (online first)

 

A genuine surprise just how high all those correlation coefficients are - particularly the interrater measures (higher than the intrarater ?!?)

Anyone have a copy of the full text?

 

I agree but in addition, even a 1/8" LLD can have clinical implications when there is additional biomechanical comorbidities.

Furthermore, supine TMM to the medial malleolus does not allow for any difference that exists in the patient from the medial malleolus down (intra-pedal).
and finally
This is an open chain measurement which has little applicability to the closed chain presentation of the patient and the actual deforming forces that exist in closed chain (i.e. lacks cliical correlation).

For me, that makes this paper of little clinical import and further proves that if supine TMM or CT Scans are the standard, they need replacement.

Until then, LLD, especially in small amounts (>1/2") remains without valid, applicable and acceptable EBM including ths addition.
Dennis

 

Validity of clinical methods in the detection of leg-length discrepancies.
Gomez-Aguilar E et al
Hip Int. 2020 Mar 3