A linear actuator has a housing, a piston slideable within the housing along a slide axis, a first shaft rotatable about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the slide axis, a second shaft rotatable about a second axis parallel to the slide axis, in which the second shaft and the piston are engaged to convert rotational motion of the second shaft into linear motion of the piston, and in which the first shaft and the second shaft are engaged by a ball-worm gear.