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Leg Check Analysis

Typically used by Upper Cervical Techniques, Thompson, Diversified (PalmerTechniques as !ell as Pierce"#$ill!agon, #acro"%ccipi$al Technique and Ac$iva$or&

Chiroprac$ors, Physical Therapis$s and %s$eopa$hs all have versions of leg checkingprocedures

'os$ !idely used sys$em of leg check analysis is called $he Derifield leg checkdeveloped by Dr& eldon Derifield a )*+ gradua$e of Palmer College and his fa$her Dr&

-omer Derifield&

.ased on many observa$ions of leg"leng$h discrepancies

'us$ de$ermine if an ana$omical shor$ leg e/is$s due $o frac$ure, deformi$y, or uneven

gro!$h ra$es

0unc$ional shor$ leg 1appears2 shor$er due $o a pos$ural imbalance $ha$ dra!s $he hip up

in a non"!eigh$ bearing posi$ion

Derifield leg check3 a prone leg"checking pro$ocol involving 4 primary componen$s

)& assessmen$ of rela$ive leg leng$hs !i$h $he knees e/$ended compared $o $heknees fle/ed $o *5 degrees, iden$ifying pelvic syndrome

4& assessmen$ of change in rela$ive leg leng$hs as $he head is $urned in ei$her

direc$ion, iden$ifying cervical syndrome

Considera$ions3

a& 'oun$ing $he $able3 6i"Lo $able or benchb& 7eu$rali8e $he posi$ion of $he fee$ by removing inversion9eversion:

dorsifle/ion9plan$arfle/ion: in$ernal9e/$ernal ro$a$ion

c& %bserve leg leng$h using mild cephalad pressure using $he medial malleolusor $he union of $he heel and shoe (!elk if !earing shoes

'U#T be considered along !i$h o$her clinical chiroprac$ic componen$s

Pos$ure Analysis#$a$ic palpa$ion

'o$ion palpa$ion

;ns$rumen$a$ion

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Procedure3

)& !i$h $he pa$ien$ prone iden$ify $he shor$ leg (if $here is no leg leng$h discrepancy$here is no need $o con$inue $he Derifield leg check

4& fle/ $he knee $o *5 degrees and observe $he posi$ion of $he ini$ial shor$ leg

4 si$ua$ions3

a& if $he shor$ leg becomes even or leng$hens $hen $he leg check is considered aPosi$ive Derifield (indica$es ;lium involvemen$ usually a P; ilium

b& if $he shor$ leg remains shor$ $hen $he leg check is considered a 7ega$ive Derifield

(indica$es sacrum involvemen$ usually an A; sacrum

Cervical #yndrome

Af$er legs are evalua$ed in $he e/$ended and fle/ed posi$ions ask pa$ien$ $o $urn

$heir head $o $he righ$ and $hen $o $he lef$ !hile observing leg leng$hs

0indings3

a& if shor$ leg becomes even !i$h righ$ ro$a$ion = -igh$ Cervical #yndrome (palpable

myospasm is usually found on $he lef$ side of $he c"spineb& if $he shor$ leg becomes even !i$h lef$ ro$a$ion = Lef$ Cervical #yndrome

(palpable myospasm is usually found on $he righ$ side of $he c"spine

;mpor$an$3 The cervical spine mus$ be ad>us$ed $o 1clear2 $he cervical syndrome before aPosi$ive Derifield or 7ega$ive Derifield can be es$ablished&