HELP! Uneven bilateral weight loss/ muscle gain???

HonestOmnivore · March 2010

My right leg and hip have far more toning and appear thinner than my left leg. My primary form of exercise has been (in this order) elliptical, climbing stairs (real stairs!) and walking at a brisk pace.

I've recently added biking and swimming but only a day or two! I noticed my hips didn't match about two weeks ago - my right hip has a indentation between my pelvic bone and my hip bone. The same area on my left hip is rounded out (both soft/fat under the skin). Today I wore shorts (it's not pretty) and when I was stretching out I noticed that my right calf is much more "cut" than my left calf - the muscles just below the knee to the outside bulges up when I flex my toes and it's quite visible on the left but not the right (you can see the skin rise up but no definition.)

What is causing this? My gait appears normal to my husband who isn't a sports med person (but has learned to watch our horses gait for irregularities). I don't feel anything uneven.

I've never been athletic so I've never known if my legs muscle up evenly (like never ever LOL!)

Is it possible my body is just metabolizing more fat from the right leg? Could one leg be a little longer?

questionablemethods · March 2010

I would suggest seeing a sports medicine doctor. You may have a deeper muscular/structural imbalance which could be caused by slight leg length difference or other structural issues that might not be noticeable to the naked eye.

Maybe I'm being overly dramatic and perhaps it isn't anything to worry about, but I have had major injuries (leading to knee surgery) caused by such muscular imbalances.

MacMadame · March 2010

Everyone has a stronger side. No one is completely symmetrical. For some people, the differences are enough to cause problems and they need to exercise the weaker side more to make them closer together, but most people live with being unsymmetrical with no problems.

rileya · March 2010

Is your right side different from you left...ie. different size feet, uneven cup sizes? I notice a difference in my right side feet, cup and but are just alittle different (smaller). It might just be the way you are

questionablemethods · March 2010

Everyone has a stronger side. No one is completely symmetrical. For some people, the differences are enough to cause problems and they need to exercise the weaker side more to make them closer together, but most people live with being unsymmetrical with no problems.

True. And only a medical professional is going to be able to 1) assess the extent of your asymmetry and 2) prescribe exercise (or orthotics or whatever) to fix it if it is a problem.

If you aren't having any pain and haven't already had low-back (or knee or hip, etc.) problems, then that might be a good sign that it isn't a problem for you. If it is bothering you though, doesn't hurt to check it out.

TGIBriday83 · March 2010

i dont think this is something to worry about. its probably a case of one leg or one side of your body dominating the other. it could also just be a case of your body pulling off fat in an uneven way. Have you ever noticed sometimes on the biggest loser that sometimes the guys will have one man boob, or moob, is slightly larger, more jiggly, or shaped differently from the other. i think over time it will just gradually even out. One last thing, a lot of those exercises are utilizing those muscles in a team work like effort, walking swimming, running etc where one leg may be doing more work than the other just out of habit for how you move and what not. You might want to try incorporating simple weight exercises on different leg machines such as leg curl, leg extension, and squat machine. work out both legs but do a few extra reps in each set for the side you think is giving you trouble. If it continues to get worse then it may be time to consult a physical therapist. Like it was said above it could be something structural your not aware of that is causing you to compensate on one side over the other which could lead to further problems down the road. now that i've written a novel, simply said i would just continue to monitor it and try not to worry too much right now.

rbc_racing · March 2010

I agree with hombre316, its pretty normal for most people to not be completely symetrical, I saw a show on the discovery channel relating to symmetry and the perception of beauty, it was a very interesting show to watch. In most weight training programs it shows up in your arms first and that is corrected by starting with the weaker arm and lifting what you can, then repeating the same weight with the stronger arm until the weaker equals the stronger. That being said it is more than likely an exercise form issue, like on the eliptical you may be pushing with your right leg harder than your left so the left just kinda rides along not working as hard. The stair stepper could also be the same thing. Make a mental change in your form, focus on pushing with your left more and see if your left leg tires out really quickly. If that is the case you are probably overdoing it with your right side and laggin your left. Try to focus on your left more until you equalize them then incorporate some paired exercises, like squats, leg curls and leg extensions.

But by all means if your having any pain at all please seek medical attention.

aippolito1 · March 2010

I've always been bigger and stronger on the left side. Last time I was measured, my left thigh was smaller (I walk dominantly on my left side), my left arm was bigger (the muscle is bigger) and my left boob has always been bigger, as well as my left foot. Some people just have a dominant side and it shows. My right thigh has dimply flesh, my left thigh doesn't. *shrug* It's just the way it goes, I guess.

HELP! Uneven bilateral weight loss/ muscle gain???

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