Arm/leg length difference - how to overcome?

sammniamii

I just noticed the strangest thing last night & I'm not sure how to correct (take correction for) it.

I have scoliosis, thus one arm & leg are longer than the other. By a NOTICEABLE amount. It effects my gait (tend to drag left leg, bend right knee), my joints, my ability to lie flat (left back hump - for lack of better word - i lie twisted and flat against hard object like the floor hurt ALOT fast) as well as which arm/leg seems to carry the heavier load.

Bench & leg pressing last night proved my "right" arm & leg are doing most of the work. I could feel a major difference in weakness after several reps between the two arms/legs. I tried to shift the weight to the left side, but it stressed my knee & elbow/shoulder alittle bit more than I want to repeat.

Any suggestions about how I should work around this so I can strengthen my "left" side to match the right.

CMGoodie

I would recommend going to a physical therapist for specific exercise so not to aggreviate or creat any complications. They can even provide or recommend a personal trainer who specializes in Skeletal/Muscular anomolies who can address these issues far better than we can.

sammniamii

Unfornately, since it is labeled a "pre-existing" condition I can't get insurance coverage for anything relating to my back (and until next year too terrorified to even try as I fear the company would drop me & my hubs needs the insurance for his medical condition.

I can't even afford a PT right now, let alone a physical therapist.

WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr

Can you do your workouts with hand weights instead of bars (I'm sure there are lots of sites online that have routines you can use to hit all the muscle groups for upper body) and for doing your legs on equipment, can you do them one leg at a time (I see one of the trainers at my gym do this with one of his clients because the client had knee surgery so he needs to lift one side lighter than the other until he gets his strength back in that leg)?

liftreadphilosophize

I just noticed the strangest thing last night & I'm not sure how to correct (take correction for) it.

I have scoliosis, thus one arm & leg are longer than the other. By a NOTICEABLE amount. It effects my gait (tend to drag left leg, bend right knee), my joints, my ability to lie flat (left back hump - for lack of better word - i lie twisted and flat against hard object like the floor hurt ALOT fast) as well as which arm/leg seems to carry the heavier load.

Bench & leg pressing last night proved my "right" arm & leg are doing most of the work. I could feel a major difference in weakness after several reps between the two arms/legs. I tried to shift the weight to the left side, but it stressed my knee & elbow/shoulder alittle bit more than I want to repeat.

Any suggestions about how I should work around this so I can strengthen my "left" side to match the right.

I would do more isolated lifts with free weights -- the machines or bars (squats, etc.) that work both arms or both legs will make it difficult for you to avoid favoring one particular side.

For legs, I would suggest replacing normal squats and deadlifts with:
Step-ups
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats
Single Leg Deadlifts

For arms, just do everything with free weights: bicep curls, shoulder presses, tricep extensions, etc.

Making sure only one arm or leg is working at a time will ensure that both are doing the same amount of work and eventually your left will catch up with your right. Good luck!

sammniamii

Thanks, ill look up some more free weight/dumbbell excerises. I rarely do deadlifts and only just stared trying barbell squats, I prefer dumbbell squats caause the bar hurts my neck and twisting my shoulders back is also apinful (in a bad way).

Sqeekyjojo

My youngest has scoliosis. Thanks to the joy that is the NHS, she gets free treatment and physiotherapy whenever she needs it. In her last course, there was a lot of body weight exercises rather than anything that allowed one side to work harder than the other. And anything with weights used dumbells rathe than bars or kettles.

There was a lot on the exercise ball as well, at they said it made things more supported on both sides than trying to stand up as well, and she does a lot of swimming, karate and some gym work now.