Last Night I Played Basketball
Afterward while limping around favouring my left side, I came up with the idea to measure certain parts of my legs to compare them and see if there were any differences in size. Why? Well, earlier in this blog I talked about probable imbalances in my body due to the impact of three years of living with Osteoarthritis. So, I wanted to see if in fact this were true. Was one leg actually larger or smaller than the other? Why might this be the case? What other kinds of differences exist?
Afterward while limping around favouring my left side, I came up with the idea to measure certain parts of my legs to compare them and see if there were any differences in size. Why? Well, earlier in this blog I talked about probable imbalances in my body due to the impact of three years of living with Osteoarthritis. So, I wanted to see if in fact this were true. Was one leg actually larger or smaller than the other? Why might this be the case? What other kinds of differences exist?
The Measurements
I got my son to help me measure the circumference of 4 points on my legs, and the diameter of each gluteus. The data is as follows:
Location | Left Leg and Hip | Right Leg and Hip |
Calf | 13 ¾” | 14 ¼” |
Knee | 14 ½” | 15” |
Mid Thigh | 20 ¼” | 20 7/8” |
Top of Thigh/Groin | 22 ½” | 24 ½” |
Front of Pelivs to Mid-Gluteus | 15” | 14” |
Each measurement was taken three times and the final number is the one that came up twice for each point. Not scientific, but a good enough representation of what I was looking for.
The Numbers Tell a Story
Apart from my left gluteus, all points on my right leg are larger than my left. As you can see, my calf circumferences are small.
I recall in high school my football coach was amazed my socks could stay up on my legs – yes, we used to wear our socks up to just below the knee!
The striking difference to me was the top of my thigh/groin area. The right leg is 2” larger than my left. This is the meaty larger area that does a lot of the heavy pushing, absorbing, lunging, striding, and power related movements.
It appears that my right leg is in fact compensating for my left. Unconsciously, as I run or walk my right leg carries that much more of the force compared to my left. I believe the pain is a factor in creating this compensation - by placing more stress on my right leg and hip decreases the stress and pain in my left.
When I read out the numbers, my son immediately replied, "but isn’t that natural? Don’t we all have a strong side?" “Look it up.” I did. It's true. This muscular size difference is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Where it is pronounced can lead to problems. Luckily, there are a ton of people out there finding ways for us to build a balance into our body
When I read out the numbers, my son immediately replied, "but isn’t that natural? Don’t we all have a strong side?" “Look it up.” I did. It's true. This muscular size difference is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Where it is pronounced can lead to problems. Luckily, there are a ton of people out there finding ways for us to build a balance into our body
I know we all have muscular imbalances. But, the irony here is that in my hyperactive sporting days of my childhood, youth and adult life, my left leg was the power leg – the jumping leg, the bracing leg for throwing etc… So you would think leftie is the power broker in the relationship between the two, and therefore the leg that would be the largest. Well, at one point it probably was, but not any more.
And as for the gluteus on my left side being larger? I can only surmise that it is compensating for the rest of my left leg. But it is interesting.
An Obvious Difference
Pain and discomfort is the measuring stick here.
Right leg and hip: no pain, a bit stiff from lactic acid.
Left leg and hip: painful, stiff, kind of numb and at the top of my thigh area there is pain radiating from my groin through to the outside of my thigh. Also from the base of the spine going through my left glute as well.
The Differences?
The differences do exist. Now that I have the answers, will this impact how I function day to day? I would say yes, in that:
- I have a peace of mind, as crazy as that sounds – I am comforted to know there is an explanation and rationale for what I thought was occurring in my lower body. I am also comforted to know, obviously, that my peripheral nervous system is functioning just fine. It's communicating to me 24/7... that there is a problem. So there is no no nerve damage that is creating the decrease in muscle size in leftie.
- I recognize that I will need to work a bit harder to keep up the strength in my left leg as much as possible – if for no other reason that to prepare for the beastly hip replacement surgery I am waiting for. This will in effect help my recovery and life afterward.
I have always felt that the process of learning about differences is hugely beneficial, and interesting. But I usually do so looking outward to others. This localized factual self-discovery, or confirmation, has been enlightening.
- I have a peace of mind, as crazy as that sounds – I am comforted to know there is an explanation and rationale for what I thought was occurring in my lower body. I am also comforted to know, obviously, that my peripheral nervous system is functioning just fine. It's communicating to me 24/7... that there is a problem. So there is no no nerve damage that is creating the decrease in muscle size in leftie.
- I recognize that I will need to work a bit harder to keep up the strength in my left leg as much as possible – if for no other reason that to prepare for the beastly hip replacement surgery I am waiting for. This will in effect help my recovery and life afterward.
I have always felt that the process of learning about differences is hugely beneficial, and interesting. But I usually do so looking outward to others. This localized factual self-discovery, or confirmation, has been enlightening.