Uneven Hips Explained: Causes, Treatments, And Exercises

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What You Need to Know About Uneven Hips

Medically reviewed by Courtney L. Gilbert, PT, DPT, AIB VR/CON — Written by Stephanie Watson — Updated on May 12, 2025

Causes
Related symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatments
Exercises
Takeaway

Scoliosis is the primary cause of uneven hips, but it can also be caused by a difference in leg length. Treatment options include exercise and surgery.

The hip joint is part of the pelvis. When your hips are uneven, with one hip higher than the other, your pelvis is tilted. This is also called a lateral pelvic tilt.

Symptoms and treatments depend on what has caused your hips to be uneven.

Causes of uneven hips

There are a few possible reasons why your hips are uneven. Uneven hips might be the result of a developmental issue that happened before you were born or a problem with your posture.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is the most common cause of uneven hips. In this condition, the spine has a sideways “S”- or “C”-shaped curve and may be slightly rotated.

Most people experience their first symptoms between the ages of 10 and 15. Although people of any sex can develop scoliosis, girls are more likely to develop the condition and to have a more pronounced curve that requires treatment.

The curve is more likely to get worse if it’s “S”-shaped, large, or in the middle of the spine. It’ll usually stop progressing once the bones stop growing.

Scoliosis may occur because of an issue with the way the spine develops before birth. It can also be the result of a nerve or muscle problem, such as:

muscular dystrophy
cerebral palsy
polio
spina bifida
Marfan syndrome

Scoliosis can run in families.

Functional leg length discrepancy

A functional leg length discrepancy is when one leg looks and feels longer than the other, but it’s the same length when measured. This discrepancy is caused by slouching, which leads to tension and imbalances in muscle strength.

When slouching becomes a habit, and you sit or stand in the same position daily for months or years, your muscles compensate. Some muscles become shorter and tighter, while other muscles become weaker. This leads to imbalances that may make one hip appear longer or shorter than the other.

Another cause of functional leg length discrepancy is staying in one position with one hip higher than the other for a long time. This can happen if you always lean to the same side when sitting or standing.

Structural leg length discrepancy

Structural leg length discrepancy is when one leg measures longer than the other.

Most people’s legs are slightly different lengths, but it’s uncommon for them to be so different that they make the hips uneven. A difference of only 2 centimeters (cm) can cause problems such as walking difficulties or a limp.

Sometimes the difference in leg length is congenital, which means you’re born with it. The reason for it may not be known.

In other cases, the discrepancy is caused by:

a short or missing bone in the leg at birth
a congenital abnormality in which the upper part of the thigh bone has not formed properly or is missing
a severe infection in a leg bone during infancy or childhood
a broken leg bone that heals badly during childhood
an injury to the growth plate of the leg during childhood or adolescence, which is called a Salter-Harris fracture
Blount’s disease, which affects the growth plates in the knee joint
conditions that affect growth on one side of the body, such as clubfoot or developmental dysplasia of the hip
conditions that make the joints swollen and inflamed, such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis
conditions that cause tumors to form on the bone, such as hereditary multiple exostoses (HME), neurofibromatosis, and Ollier’s disease
nervous system disorders, such as cerebral palsy or polio
Legg-Perthes disease, in which loss of blood flow to the ball of the hip joint causes the bone to die
hyperemia, which is increased blood flow into an area (such as the leg)

Related symptoms

The symptoms of scoliosis vary based on the cause and severity. Mild scoliosis often has no symptoms. Symptoms of more severe scoliosis, as well as other causes of uneven hips, include:

difficulty walking
unusual gait
knee pain
back pain
hip pain

Your clothes might not fit well when your hips are uneven.

Differences in the way you walk or look can also cause:

low self-esteem
anxiety
depression

Other effects on your bones

Your pelvis is connected to your shoulders and upper back by your spine. It’s also connected to your legs. The effects of uneven hips can sometimes be seen in these areas:

Uneven shoulders: Your shoulders may look uneven. The side with the lower hip will usually have the higher shoulder.
Prominent shoulder blade: Your shoulder blade might stick out more on the side with the lower hip.
Curved spine: If scoliosis has caused your uneven hips, your spine might look like it’s curved into the shape of an “S” or “C.”
Rib cage that sticks out on one side: If you have severe scoliosis, your rib cage might be twisted. This makes the ribs on the side with the higher hip stick out further than the other ribs.
Difference in leg length: The leg on the side with the higher hip might look and feel longer than the other leg, even though they’re really the same length.

Diagnosis of uneven hips

A doctor might notice uneven hips during a routine physical exam. You may also notice the problem yourself and see a doctor about it.

During the physical exam, the doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. They’ll also check to see if your hips and shoulders are even. They may watch you walk and take measurements of each leg.

Scoliosis is often diagnosed during sports physicals or screenings performed at school. The scoliosis check involves looking at your back while you’re standing and when you’re bent over at the waist with your arms hanging down.

Imaging tests

A few of the other tests used to help find the cause of uneven hips include:

X-ray to look for problems with the bones
CT scan to find abnormalities in the leg bones or tissue
CT scanogram to get a more accurate measurement of leg length

For a child or teen who’s still growing, imaging tests and physical exams are usually repeated every 6 to 12 months to check for changes.

How to fix uneven hips

Treatment for uneven hips depends on its cause.

Mild cases may only need to be monitored. Surgery can be an option for more severe cases.

Scoliosis

It may help kids to know that they didn’t cause their scoliosis, and there isn’t anything they could have done to prevent it. Scoliosis isn’t caused by slouching, using heavy weights, or carrying a heavy backpack.

Scoliosis usually isn’t treated unless the curve is severe. Kids with mild spinal curves may need back X-rays once every 6 months to monitor changes.

A doctor may recommend a back brace for larger curves in growing kids. A brace won’t correct the spinal curve, but it stops it from getting worse. Kids usually have to wear the brace throughout the day and night, except when it interferes with their participation in sports and other activities.

Only those with a severe curve of 45 to 50 degrees or higher will need surgery to treat scoliosis. During this procedure, the vertebrae are fused together with a rod or artificial bone to stop the curve from progressing.

Support for scoliosis

Scoliosis often starts just before puberty. This can be a difficult time for kids due to all of the physical and hormonal changes they’re going through.

A kid who has scoliosis at that age may feel angry, insecure, or self-conscious about their appearance or having to wear a back brace.

Consider having your kid join a support group for kids with scoliosis. This gives them a place to meet others like them. They can talk about how they feel and find out how others live with scoliosis.

Functional leg length discrepancy

If your legs are of equal length, there are several things you can do to correct uneven hips.

You might get a massage to help remove any knots and relax your muscles.

You can also perform exercises that stretch the side with the tight muscles to improve the mobility and range of motion in your legs and hips. Exercises that strengthen your muscles are also helpful.

It’s important to correct slouching so that the problem doesn’t return. Here are a few actions you can try:

When you sit, put a rolled towel between your shoulders to keep your back straight and prevent slouching.
When you stand, hold your neck straight and keep your shoulders even with your hips.
Perform exercises like planks to strengthen the core muscles that support your spine.

Structural leg length discrepancy

It’s more difficult to correct uneven hips when the measured length of your legs is unequal. Treatment is based on the difference in leg length and your age.

Young children and adolescents who are still growing may just be checked regularly until their bones have stopped growing.

Treatment for a mild leg length discrepancy (less than 2 cm) is usually nonsurgical. A doctor might recommend putting a lift in the shoe on the shorter leg to reduce back pain and make walking easier.

Surgery to even out the leg length is an option in more severe cases.

In young people who are still growing, a procedure called epiphysiodesis can be performed on the growth plates to slow or stop bone growth in the longer leg. Teens and adults who have stopped growing can have surgery to shorten the longer leg.

There are also procedures to lengthen the shorter leg, but these are more complex to perform.

Exercises for uneven hips

The best stretches for uneven hips increase the distance between your pelvis and rib cage on the side with the higher hip.

One of the main muscles to stretch is the quadratus lumborum, which connects the pelvis and backbone.

Stretching exercises to loosen and lengthen the muscles are used to correct functional leg length discrepancy. They also help improve other symptoms, such as back pain.

Here are five exercises that can help if you have uneven hips.

The 90/90 stretch

If your right side is tight, sit on the floor with your right leg in front of you, bent at a 90-degree angle, and your knee and ankle on the floor. Align your knee with your hip.
Your left leg should be out to your left side, bent at the knee into a 90-degree angle. Adjust the angle slightly if it feels uncomfortable.
Reach forward with your right hand while pushing your right hip away from your hand.

Learn more about the 90/90 stretch.

Leg split with quadratus lumborum stretch

Sit on the floor with your legs open as wide as possible.
Reach your right hand over to the left side and try to touch your left foot. (You don’t need to touch your foot.)
Then reach your left hand over toward your right foot. This stretches the quadratus lumborum on both sides.

Discover other stretches for the quadratus lumborum.

Child’s Pose with hand reach

To get into Child’s Pose, start on your hands and knees, and then sit back onto your heels and bring your forehead toward the floor.
From Child’s Pose, lift one arm and reach it out as far in front of you as possible. Repeat with the other arm.
With both arms still outstretched, walk your hands over to one side. This will stretch your lower back and hip on the opposite side.
Stay in this position, and breathe in and out as you stretch.
Repeat on the other side.

Side plank

Lie on your side on the floor with one leg stacked on top of the other. Push up until you’re propped up on one hand with your arm straight. Keep your elbow right underneath your shoulder.
Pull in your abdominal muscles and lift your hips until your body is in a straight line.
Hold this position for 15 seconds at first. You may be able to work your way up to a few minutes over time.
Repeat on the other side.

Superman

Lie on your stomach.
Extend your arms straight out in front of you and your legs out behind you.
Lift your arms and legs about 6 inches off the floor.
Pull in your abdominal muscles and reach your arms and legs as far as possible. Hold the position for 2 to 3 seconds.
Relax your arms and legs back down to the floor.

Discover even more benefits of Superman.

The bottom line

Uneven hips have many causes, from scoliosis to conditions that lead to differences in leg lengths. Many of these underlying issues are diagnosed during childhood.

Treatments for uneven hips will depend on the severity of the issue and the person’s age. Treatments are available to correct or even stop the progression of uneven hips.

Some mild issues may require no treatment or be addressed with exercise or other lifestyle changes.

If a child has uneven hips, it’s important that they have follow-up appointments with a doctor as they grow. The doctor can monitor for any changes.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Applebaum A, et al. (2021). Overview and spinal implications of leg length discrepancy: Narrative review.https://ecios.org/DOIx.php?id=10.4055/cios20224
Idiopathic scoliosis in children and adolescents. (2021).https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/idiopathic-scoliosis-in-children-and-adolescents
Lower limb length discrepancy. (2021).https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/limb-length-discrepancy
Nonsurgical treatment options for scoliosis. (2019).https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/nonsurgical-treatment-options-for-scoliosis
Scoliosis. (n.d.).https://www.aans.org/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Scoliosis
Sung S, et al. (2021). Incidence and surgery rate of idiopathic scoliosis: A nationwide database study.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/15/8152
Surgical treatment for scoliosis. (2020).https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/treatment/surgical-treatment-for-scoliosis
Treatment options. (n.d.). https://www.srs.org/patients-and-families/common-questions-and-glossary/frequently-asked-questions/treatment-and-coping

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Medically reviewed by Courtney L. Gilbert, PT, DPT, AIB VR/CON — Written by Stephanie Watson — Updated on May 12, 2025

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Nutrition

Causes of uneven hips

Scoliosis

Functional leg length discrepancy

Structural leg length discrepancy

Related symptoms

Other effects on your bones

Diagnosis of uneven hips

Imaging tests

How to fix uneven hips

Scoliosis

Support for scoliosis

Functional leg length discrepancy

Structural leg length discrepancy

Exercises for uneven hips

The 90/90 stretch

Leg split with quadratus lumborum stretch

Child’s Pose with hand reach

Side plank

Superman

The bottom line

How we reviewed this article:

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