Prevalence and functional impact of patient-perceived leg length discrepancy after hip replacement

The aim of this postal survey was to determine the prevalence and impact of patient-perceived leg length discrepancy (LLD) at 5–8 years after primary total hip replacement (THR). A postal audit survey was undertaken of all consecutive patients who had a primary unilateral THR at one elective orthopaedic centre between April 1993 and April 1996. The questionnaire included the Oxford hip score (OHS) and questions about LLD. Questionnaires were received from 1,114 patients. In total, 329 THR patients (30%) reported an LLD, although radiographic analysis revealed that only 36% of these patients had anatomical LLD. Patients with a perceived LLD had a significantly poorer OHS (p <0.001) and reported more limping than those patients without a perceived LLD. This study found that a third of patients perceived an LLD after THR and that perceived LLD was associated with a significantly poorer midterm functional outcome.