• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.391-399
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• 2019

Purpose: This study investigated the three-dimensional moment values of the hip joint for subjects with artificial leg length alterations and subjects with unaltered leg lengths. Methods: Forty-two healthy adults (8 men, 34 women) participated in this study. The selected subjects were able to walk normally, had less than a 1 cm leg length discrepancy, and were instructed to wear shoes that fit their feet. The study participants performed 8 dynamic gait trails to measure the hip joint moment using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. Kinetic and dynamic three-dimensional gait analysis data were collected from infrared cameras, and a force plate was used to standardize the weight of each subject. Results: There were significant correlations between the differences in the leg length discrepancy during right extension, right flexion, right internal rotation, and left extension in hip joint moments (p<0.05). There were significant correlations between the differences in shoe conditions during left extension, right flexion, right extension, and right internal rotation in the hip moments (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that a leg length discrepancy can affect hip joint moment, which may further exacerbate musculoskeletal disorders, such as osteoarthritis in lower extremity joints. Therefore, further studies should be conducted to verify the impact of clinical interventions on differences in hip joint moment values to correct leg length discrepancies and prevent osteoarthritis in lower extremity joints.