Which listing most commonly produces a short leg?

• A. Pi
• B. As
• C. In
• D. AsIn

Answer: (A)

The pattern being tested is how the position of the innominate bone (the ilium) affects standing leg length. A posterior-inferior ilium listing means the ilium on one side is rotated backward and dropped downward. This tilts the pelvis so that the leg on that side appears shorter when the person stands, creating a functional short leg. That posterior-inferior orientation is the classic, most reliable pattern associated with a short leg in full-spine assessments, which is why it’s the best choice here.

Other listings describe different directions of pelvic tilt (for example, tilts that are more anterior or superior) and don’t reproduce the same consistent shortening of the leg. While those patterns can influence leg length in various ways or depending on posture, they’re not as likely to present as a short leg in typical evaluation, so they’re less fitting as the primary cause in this context.

In practice, when you suspect a short leg pattern, you’d look for signs of a posterior-inferior ilium on the involved side, such as palpation differences in the PSIS region and corresponding sacral and lumbar alignment, to guide your adjustment approach.