Long Legs vs. Short Legs. The Surprising Advantages.

Consider your legs for a moment. Are they long? Short? Does it matter?

Surprisingly, the length of our legs – whether short or long – offers unique advantages and drawbacks. The good news is that no leg length is “better.”

For different sports and for long-term health, leg length plays a big role. Not sure if your legs are long or short? Neutral or balanced leg length is defined as 50% of our total stature. That ratio helps achieve the most efficient, biomechanical human gait. However, even with average-length legs, there’s a 90% chance that your right leg is very slightly shorter than the left – about 3/16” shorter, but not enough to notice. Exercise, bone injuries, and age of course, can affect leg length.

Sports Advantages and Leg Length

You can celebrate your stubby or tree-tall legs knowing that they can help you and world-class athletes excel in different sports. Here are some events for which leg length offers real advantages:

Short Legs

Gymnastics, Diving – short legs mean less inertia, more stability
Swimming – Michael Phelps’ short legs and very long torso say it all
Soccer – shorter legs mean faster pivots and ball handling
Sprinting – faster acceleration (a huge exception is Usain Bolt)
Weight Lifting – shorter legs are better for heavier weights

Long Legs

Cycling – longer legs offer more leverage on the pedals
Distance Running – long legs (not height) help in all but the shortest races
Canoeing, Kayaking – longer legs create more stroke power.
Basketball, Volleyball – jump more efficiently
High Jumping – greater leverage for bigger air

Your Legs, Your Height

Yes, leg length is related to overall height. However, you can be short, but have long legs. And you can be tall with short legs. Roughly 60-80 percent of our body shape is determined by genetics and the rest from childhood nutrition. Americans were once the tallest people in the world, but that honor now goes to the Dutch. Much of America’s slip in height is due to poor nutrition.

Risk Factors – Small and Tall

Increasingly, research shows that height plays a role in our health. Of course, you can’t change your height. But don’t worry, the risks associated with variations in height are relatively small. Here are some height-related health issues:

Diabetes and Leg-Length

In general, bigger bellies increase the risk of diabetes. But people with longer legs can afford somewhat larger bellies that shorter-legged people without an additional diabetes risk.

Heart Disease and Shorter Height

The shorter you are, the greater your risk of coronary heart disease. A study by Harvard Medical School found that genes linked to height can increase the risk of heart disease. For a person 2.5 inches shorter than the average, the risk of heart disease increases by about 13.5%. The shorter the person, the greater the effect.

Taller Height and Cancer

The taller you are, the greater your risk of cancer. Studies have shown that 4-inches of height above average is associated with a 10-percent cancer increase. It’s thought that taller people simply have more cells in their bodies. Obesity doesn’t increase the number of cells in the body, but instead makes some cells larger.

Do Shorter People Live Longer?

The best answer is “maybe.” Some studies indicate links between shorter height and longer life. Current theories focus on the lower caloric intake (eating less) required by shorter people and the fact that they have trillions fewer cells than tall people. Fewer cells reduce exposure to the impact of free radicals and carcinogens.

Yes, Taller People Are More Injury-Prone

Along with potentially living longer, another advantage of being short is your low center of gravity. Being closer to the ground makes falls less dangerous. For taller people, especially women, an important independent risk factor is for hip fracture. Women 5’8” taller are more than twice as likely as women under 5-2” to sustain a hip fracture. All tall, older adults should take precautions to help prevent falls and possibly see a physical therapist for balance and strength exercises.

Get a Leg Up on Your Health

Whether you’re tall or short, you don’t need to worry about your height if you focus on a healthy lifestyle. Being physically active – maybe trying some of the great sports listed above – makes a real difference. You know the rest. Don’t smoke. Drink alcohol no more than 3 times a week. Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet. One of the reasons why we have to look up Dutch women and men is because they consume less sugar and fats than we do.