ABSTRACT
Large discrepancies of limb length are easy to identify early but attention may be drawn first by a concomitant limb deformity or absence of a limb part, as often occurs in congenital longitudinal deficiencies. In contrast, minor limb length discrepancies are usually brought to the attention of parents by health visitors, relatives or school teachers and the problem detected later in childhood. This chapter focuses on both congenital and acquired causes of a short femur but excludes proximal focal femoral deficiency (PFFD) which is covered in Chapter 37, Congenital short femur and proximal focal femoral deficiency.
