Whatever are the reasons for limb length difference, you may contact us to see if we have a solution that can change your life. In cases of PFFD, you must act immediately, because the case is treated best when the child is around 2 years old.
You may review the possible causes for limb length differences to see if you see anything to do with the issue you've been facing, we'll be happy to answer all of your questions on treatment.
Limb Length Differences
A difference in the length of the arms or legs can happen because of different reasons. More often the shorter limb is abnormal, but in some cases longer limb is affected.
Increased limb length
Here are some causes for increasing of limb length:
Hemihypertrophy
The one of the most causes is hemi-hypertrophy, where the sides of the body grow differently. Although both limbs: the arm and leg on the affected, often only leg is affected. There can be other problems associated with hemi-hypertrophy, usually affecting the kidneys. In most cases, doctors cannot find the cause for the hemi-hypertrophy, but in certain conditions like Klippel-Weber syndrome they see a correlation. Babies with this syndrome often have too many blood vessels, and it can be seen as birthmarks and enlarged veins that sometimes are not visible as go deep in the leg.
Neurofibromatosis
This rare condition causes overgrowth in one leg and goes with other symptoms like brown freckles or skin lumps.
Overgrowth after a fracture
Increased limb length can occur after a fracture of the thigh bone or shin bone and may need treatment.
Decreased limb length
Congenital causes
Sometimes children are born with an shortened or undeveloped bones, which may be associated with other problems in the limb. The reasons for that are not clearly defined yet, but they tend to be seen as those that are developing during early stages of pregnancy. You probably know that at that time limbs are formed.
Growth plate injuries
The area at the ends of bones where growth takes place is called growth plates. These plates can be injured or damaged, and it results in the termination of bone growth process. If half of the growth plate is damaged, uneven bone growing and deformation can happen.
Neurological problems
Many neurological problems (brain or spinal cord related) decreases limb length. The most common cause is polio, but this is now very rare due to widespread immunization against the disease. Other causes include spina bifida (incomplete development of the brain, spinal cord, and/or meninges) and hemiplegia (paralysis in one vertical half of a patient's body).
Olliers Disease
Ollier's disease, which is also called dyschondroplasia or enchondromatosis is a congenital but nonfamilial disorder involving tubular bones, especially of the hands and feet, and characterized by a neoplasm-like proliferation of cartilage in the metaphyses that cause distorted growth in length or pathological fractures.
This is often associated with a decrease in limb length and deformity, usually affecting one side of the body more than the other.
Club foot
Club foot (talipes)
The foot is twisted in (inverted) and down. Without treatment, persons afflicted often appear to walk on their ankles, or on the sides of their feet. Club foot does not always result in decreased limb length, but requires treatment usually by manipulation (to move the foot into the correct position) and maintenance of the correct position using splints or plaster casts. If case these methods won't work, surgery is suggested, limb lengthening in particular.
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