| Migraines can be caused by having a short leg. | | | | Functional short leg: |
| According to a study by the US Army, | | | | A skilled massage therapist can help relax and |
| approximately one out of ten people have an | | | | release the tight out-of-balance muscles that are |
| actual leg length difference. | | | | pulling your bones out of neutral. |
| Myofascial (muscle and soft tissue) pain experts | | | | How do you know if you have a leg length |
| Drs. Travell and Simons said that a leg length | | | | difference? |
| difference of 1/8 inch or more puts you at risk | | | | Perhaps one pant leg is always longer than the |
| for pain and dysfunction. Why? Because your | | | | other. That was the clue for my 91 year old client |
| body does things automatically to try to correct | | | | who had back pain and migraines for over 70 |
| or adapt or accommodate that difference such as | | | | years. His doctors never looked for or told him he |
| tilt, twist or rotate. These positions can cause a | | | | had a leg length difference but he told me, "My |
| migraine. | | | | tailor always told me I did!" His anatomical leg |
| There are two types of "short legs." Both can | | | | length difference was about 2 inches. |
| cause migraines. | | | | Maybe when you look in the mirror you can see |
| One is an actual anatomical difference which could | | | | that one shoulder is higher than the other or that |
| be caused by severe injury or polio or nature and | | | | your head sits off the side instead of dead in the |
| is measurable on x-rays. It could be either the | | | | middle of your body. That's a clue, too. |
| upper or the lower leg bone. | | | | Or, as you look in the mirror, does your belt line |
| The other type is a functional leg length | | | | always sit lower on the same side? |
| difference. That means the bones are all the | | | | How do you know how much lift you need? |
| same length but muscles in the body cause one | | | | A doctor can take x-rays of your legs and hips |
| hip to lift. Your hip bones can move independently | | | | and measure for you. Or, you can "guestimate" |
| of each other so it is possible to have one hip | | | | by placing notebooks or magazines under your |
| that is higher or more forward than the other. | | | | short leg and adding or removing pages until you |
| People with a leg length difference often have | | | | feel level and look level in the mirror. Many |
| migraines because walking with a tilt puts a lot of | | | | neuromuscular massage therapists are trained in |
| strain on the muscles at the base of the skull. It | | | | measuring leg length differences also. |
| causes a rotation (slight turning) of the head. That | | | | When you get rid of an actual leg length |
| can affect the nerves and blood vessels which | | | | difference and stop the tilting and twisting that |
| play a part in migraines. Those people can have | | | | your body does to try to make corrections, you |
| other pain, too, such as hip pain on the short leg | | | | can have fewer migraines. |
| side or low back pain pain or TMJ dysfunction. | | | | What else can I do? |
| What's the fix? | | | | There is a lot of information and misinformation |
| Good news! There is a relatively easy fix so you | | | | about migraines. Doctors mostly look at trying to |
| don't have to go through life "out of balance" and | | | | help you get rid of them rather than figure out |
| with migraines. | | | | where they come from. Here's a clue: There are |
| Anatomical short leg: | | | | things your body likes and things it doesn't like. |
| Lifting your entire foot on the short leg side | | | | In addition to getting your hips level (which your |
| enough to level your hips will go a long way in | | | | body likes) you can take steps to relax the |
| helping you feel better, have fewer migraines, and | | | | muscles around your head and neck (which your |
| fewer problems with your neck and muscles. | | | | body also likes.) You can also do simple, gentle |
| This requires that you only wear certain shoes. | | | | movements to help correct your posture and |
| They must have a solid, thick hard rubber sole. A | | | | relax your back (which your body likes. too.). |
| shoemaker can split a firm rubber sole and add a | | | | There can be multiple causes for your migraines |
| layer of neoprene rubber to lift the short leg. This | | | | but the more causes you can get rid of, the less |
| doesn't work with air or gel type shoes. | | | | pain you will have. |
| Also, if you have a really skilled shoemaker or | | | | PLEASE NOTE: Whenever you do movements for |
| cobbler, he might be able to remove your whole | | | | your neck, always do them carefully, slowly and |
| sole and replace it with a new, thicker sole. | | | | thoughtfully. Pay close attention to what's going |
| It may seem like a lot of work or you might not | | | | on so you don't aggravate your touchy neck and |
| want to give up your stylish shoes but the | | | | cause a migraine. |
| benefits to your body are huge. | | | | |