Background: A relationship between leg length discrepancy (LLD), pelvic obliquity and acute low back pain (aLBP) is discussed in recent work. Myofascial release (MFR) techniques are probably one approach to tread aLBP. It is proposed to use anamnestic LLD survey in aLBP patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate a practical measurement of LLD and the feasibility of MFR in the setting of a randomized control trial (RCT).Methodology: In 12 subjects (7 female, 5 male) with aLBP and a LLD greater than 3 mm, a MFR technique was performed on the thoracolumbar fascia. At baseline, post-intervention and follow-up, LLD was measured with a cross-line laser, pain with the visual analogue scale (VAS) and finger floor distance (FFD). Patients completed a survey after follow-up to assess their acceptance of the study procedure. The therapist evaluated the methods in terms of practicability.Results: The cost on time and resources for the LLD measurement and the MFR treatment was low. The participants voted with medium to high acceptance for the study procedure. The LLD decreased by 5.00 mm after treatment and by 4 mm to follow-up. The minimum detectable changes were exceeded in 7 out of 12 cases after intervention and in 2 of 9 cases at follow-up. The VAS showed a reduction in pain of 17.50 mm to follow-up but not after treatment. The FFD revealed no clinically relevant differences.Conclusion: Measurement of LLD is applicable in daily practice in a manual therapy setting, but it cannot be assumed to be a valid method for an RCT. Valid methods such as video raster stereography are therefore recommended. A comprehen-sive RCT with an MFR arm to investigate the impact of this intervention on leg length is feasible.
Leg-length discrepancy is associated with low back pain among those who must stand while working