What are the true and false long and short legs (different lengths of lower limbs)?

The unequal length of both lower limbs is commonly known as long and short legs. Generally speaking, as long as the leg length difference exceeds 2cm, patients will feel uneven when walking. Short legs and long legs are not only unsightly to walk, but more importantly, long-term deformity will lead to pelvic tilt, achilles tendon contracture, scoliosis and other problems, which will affect patients' further education, employment and marriage. There are many reasons for short legs and long legs. Short legs and long legs can be divided into true and false, which need to be identified. Because this directly affects the choice of treatment methods. The so-called long legs are short, that is, the lengths of the two legs are different. The method of identification is to take full-body photos of both lower limbs, so that we can see the position and degree of short legs and the reasons for short legs. Generally speaking, the causes of short legs and long legs mainly include the following categories, such as nerve injury (such as knife cutting, injection, polio), fracture, childhood osteomyelitis, femoral head necrosis, dislocation of hip joint, idiopathic (congenital), congenital pseudarthrosis of tibia or congenital curvature of tibia, epiphyseal injury, after tumor resection and so on. No matter what the reason, as long as the legs are really long and short, the short legs must be lengthened to correct them. This depends on Ilizarov technology or the combination of internal and external bone lengthening technology. As long as proper measures are taken, the final result is satisfactory. The so-called false long and short legs refers to the illusion that there is no substantial difference in the bone length of patients' two legs, but the leg length is not equal. This usually happens when the patient is in a certain posture and does not always maintain the posture of long and short legs. Common in children's hip synovitis, hip sprain, gluteal muscle spasm, gluteal muscle contracture, scoliosis, pelvic tilt after trauma and so on. The method of identification, in addition to taking full-body photos of both lower limbs, can also be identified by putting your knees together in supine position. If it is false, the patella of both knees is the same height, but it can't be true. In order to choose a reasonable treatment method and reduce disputes between doctors and patients, it is very necessary to distinguish the true and false legs.