Is a long leg a risk for hip or knee osteoarthritis

Background and purpose — 7% of the asymptomatic population has leg-length inequality (LLI) greater than 12 mm. It has been proposed that LLI of >5 mm can be associated with an increased risk of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee and hip. We studied a possible association between LLI and OA of the knee and hip joint.Patients and methods — We followed 193 individuals (97 women, 96 men) for 29 years. The initial mean age of the participants was 43 (34–54) years, and they had no clinical histories or signs of leg symptoms. The initial standing radiographs of their hips were re-examined and measured for LLI and signs of OA. None had any signs of OA. At the follow-up, data on performed hip or knee arthroplasties were obtained.Results — 24 (12%) of the subjects had no discernible leg-length difference, 62 (32%), had LLIs of 1–4 mm, 74 (38%) of 5–8 mm, 21 (11%) of 9–12 mm, and 12 (6%) of over 12 mm. 16 (8%) of the subjects had undergone arthroplasty for primary OA during follow-up, and of those, 8 for both hip and k...