How Is Knock Knees Or Genu Valgum Diagnosed
When knock knees is suspected to be an abnormality, clinical examination is essential. Observations of standing and walking pattern, measurements of the knee and ankle angles are taken.
Knocked Knee or Genu Valgum can be confirmed by measuring the body height, alignment of legs and feet, symmetry of knees and gait or walking pattern. Imaging studies like X-rays may be ordered if appropriate.3
Surgical Correction Of Knock Knees
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Guided Growth: In this procedure, small metal plates are placed inside the knees to control and guide bone growth in correct direction. These can be removed after the deformity is corrected. The whole process takes around one year.
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Osteotomy: In this procedure, a small wedge of bone is excised and the knee is aligned correctly. Then the bone is fixed with plates and screws.
Both of them are major surgical procedures and are performed under general anesthesia. For children the guided growth option is more suitable because the bones are still in growing stage. The surgery is only recommended when the condition is extremely severe and persistent. For adults an osteotomy is preferred.
Why Should I See A Sports Medicine
The training of an orthopaedic surgeon involves many years of undergraduate, medical school, and residency education. The specialization of sports medicine involves additional training, usually at an educational center where a fellowship year is completed. This involves advanced training in arthroscopic surgery, required in the treatment of most knee, shoulder, ankle, elbow and sports medicine-related injuries. The sports medicine-trained surgeon also has knowledge of specific rehabilitation and muscle performance issues to safely regain function and return patients to athletics. A sports medicine center combines the disciplines of physicians, physical therapists, athletic trainers, and more to totally heal all aspects of an injury.
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What Is Guided Growth Surgery
Guided Growth Surgery may be an option to correct bone alignment in children who are still growing. It is performed by orthopedic surgeons. Females are said to stop growing around the age of 13-14 and males at the age of 15-16. An orthopedic surgeon can roughly determine how much growth is remaining based off of X-Ray.
This surgery must be done before a childs bones have stopped growing in order to be effective. It works by temporarily implanting a metal device into one side of the bones growth plate. It temporarily stops the growth of that side which allows the other side to catch-up. This results in deformity correction over time. The implant is then typically removed and the bones continue to grow normally.
The scar from the surgery is generally pretty minimal as the incision made is about a couple of inches in length.
Hospital Stay & Recovery Time
Typically, guided growth surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis. Meaning, patients can go home the same day. Most will be able to walk unassisted after two weeks and return to normal activities, such as sports, by about four weeks.
What Are The Symptoms Of Knock Knees
Knock knees are a normal part of development and may not cause any symptoms. However, if they persist beyond a particular age, they may cause discomfort and pain in the legs.
If knocked knees is due to a medical cause and results in deformity, there may be difficulty in walking. Pain and resultant changes in gait, awkward walking may be noticed. Changes in normal posture may also affect other joints and cause pain and difficulty in movement.
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Understanding Bowlegs And Knock
When a child with bowlegs stands with his or her feet together, if the toes pointed straight ahead, but the knees do not touch, he or she has bow-legs. The medical term for bowlegs is “genu varum”, most likely coming from the words thighbone , shinbone or both.
When a child with knock-knees stands with his or her legs together, feet pointed straight ahead, and the knees touch but their ankles do not, he or she has knock-knees. The medical term is “genu valgum”, which may also come from the words thighbone, shinbone or both.
How We Care For Knock Knees At Boston Childrens Hospital
As a national and international orthopedics referral center, our Orthopedic Center has vast experience managing all aspects of knock knees. Our Lower Extremity Program offers comprehensive assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for children and young adults with conditions affecting their lower limbs. We have extensive experience treating disorders of the feet, ankles, knees, legs, and hips. Whether the patient is an infant, child, or adolescent, our goal is to help our patients live full, independent lives.
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How Is Knock Knee Treated
For mild cases of knock knee in children or adolescents, bracing may reposition the knees. When this does not work, or if the patient is an adult at the time of diagnosis, a knee-realignment osteotomy is done to prevent or delay the need for .
If knock knee is caused by an underlying disease or infection, that condition will be addressed before any orthopedic correction begins. Treatment for mild cases of knock knee in children or adolescents may include braces to help bones grow in the correct position.
If a gradual correction does not occur, surgery may be recommended. In the growing child, guided-growth minimal-incision surgery may be used to encourage the leg to gradually grow straight.
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Can You Tell Me How To Correct My Knock
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What Are Knock Knees
Knock knees or genu valgum is when a child stands up straight and the knees touch but the ankles are apart. Knock knees often happen as a normal part of growth and development. So, kids toddler to elementary school age often have knock knees. It’s rarely serious and the condition usually goes away on its own by the time a child is 7 or 8 years old.
How Is Knock Knees Diagnosed
On physical appearance, with the patient standing upright, the knees touch each other, but there is a wide space between the ankles. The best way to diagnose knock knees is by taking a standing X-ray, and drawing the straight line on the image from the hip to the ankle. If that line passes to the outside of the knee, there is genu valgum present. Additional diagnostic lines can be drawn to determine if the source of the angular deviation is coming from the femur or the tibia .
When looking at childrens X-rays, we also pay attention to the quality of the bone and the width of the growth plates. Children with nutritional vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D-resistant rickets , or with kidney failure, for example, have widened, irregular growth plates and can present with genu valgum. In children where vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D-resistant rickets, or kidney failure are suspected as the cause of knock knees, additional blood tests can be done to specifically look for those issues.
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Exercises To Correct Knock Knee
Knock Knee or Genu Valgum of mild degree can be corrected by strengthening exercises, which help to realign and stabilize the knees. Perform these exercises in 10 repetitions for each leg and gradually with weights.
Corrective Exercise for Knock Knee #1: Straight Leg Raises For muscles in front of thigh.
- Sit on a chair with feet touching the floor. Straighten one leg by raising it, hold and then release.
- Lie on the back. Raise one leg at a time with knees straight, hold and bring it down.
Corrective Exercise for Knock Knee #2: Knee Bends For muscles at the back of thigh.
- Stand and bend one leg from behind and try to touch the feet to the hips.
- Perform the same exercise when lying down on stomach.
Further half squats, step-ups, therapeutic ball and pool exercises also help and should be performed under the guidance of an expert.
Dealing With Knock Knees In Children
Did you know? While not all young children develop knock knees, they are considered a normal part of a childs growth and development when they occur between the ages of 2 and 5.
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Can Knock Knees Be Corrected
It is possible to correct cleft palates by having their bones sculpted. Most commonly, the surgical technique is used by men over a certain age range. An impact from a knock knees may alter ankles, knees, hips as well. In this case, the knee cap has an incorrect centered orientation and can put increasing pressure and pain on the front of the knee.
Can Chiropractors Fix Knock Knees
Is Chiropractic Care an Effective Treatment for Knock Knee? Chiropractic care is an exceptional treatment for children of all ages who have knock knee. For younger patients who are experiencing it as a normal stage of development, it will help to keep their spine aligned and encourage good, healthy posture.
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How Are Knock Knees Treated
Most kids who have knock knees from normal growth and development dont need treatment. It usually corrects itself as the child grows.
Severe knock knees or knock knees that are worse on one side sometimes do need treatment. In the past, kids with knock knees might wear braces and shoe inserts. They were found to not be helpful so are no longer used.
In rare cases where children have symptoms such as pain or trouble running, doctors might suggest surgery after age 10.
To treat knock knees from rickets, doctors usually recommend adding vitamin D and calcium to the childs diet. Some kids with Rickets might need to see a specialist. Rickets due to a genetic condition may need more specialized treatment by an endocrinologist .
A Releases Of Lateral Hamstring
When the lateral hamstring is tight, it causes external rotation of the lower bone . This can cause the knee to cave in relative to the tibia.
Instructions:
- Whilst sitting on the floor, place a massage ball underneath the outside part of the back of your knee.
- Proceed to apply pressure through the ball.
- Straighten and bend your knee.
- Continue for 1 minute.
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Genu Valgum Vs Bowlegs
Bowleggedness is similar to knock-knee, and its Latin name is genu varum. They are both most common in early childhood.
Bowlegs are knees that curve out, creating less space between the ankles. Bowlegs are the opposite of knock-knees, which curve inward and increase the space between the ankles.
While knock-knee most commonly affects children ages 36 years, it is uncommon for bowlegs to persist after age 2 years. Both conditions can have natural and disease-based causes.
What Are The Overall Success Rates Of Femoral Osteotomy
Overall, we have noted that 70-80% of patients have a significant improvement in their symptoms and knee function. Many can return to recreational sports that allow an active lifestyle for many years after surgery. The majority can do their daily activities without problems. However, we always advise our patients that if there is already arthritis in knee joint that it will progress. About 20% of patients will not have a long-term benefit and may require a partial or total knee replacement.
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Are Knock Knees Normal
Temporarily knocked knees are part of a standard developmental growth stage for most children. This usually corrects itself as the child grows. Knock knees that persist beyond six years of age, are severe or affect one leg significantly more than the other may be a sign of knock-knee syndrome.
Most children experience in their legs as they grow. Children are typically until they begin walking at around 12 to 18 months. By about 2 to 3 years of age, their legs have usually begun to angle inward, making them knock-kneed. During normal growth phases, the childâs legs will straighten out by age 7 to 8.
Knock knees that remain outside of these normal developmental growth patterns may be caused by disease, infection or other conditions. If the angle of the legs from hip to foot falls outside normal patterns, worsens over time, or is present on only one side of the body, this suggests a person has a more serious form of knock knees, and further evaluation by an orthopedic specialist may be necessary. Surgery may be needed to treat the condition.
X-rays: preoperative image showing knock knee. postoperative image showing leg alignment after surgical correction and removal of metal plates.
How Are Knock Knees Diagnosed
Health care providers do an exam and ask about the child’s medical history. They probably won’t do any tests if the child is 24 years old, feels well, and both legs tilt inward to the same degree. Instead, they’ll watch to make sure the knock knees gets better as the child grows.
Some kids might need to see an orthopedic doctor if:
- The legs dont get straighter on their own.
- One knee turns in more than the other, or only one side turns in.
- The child also has pain, limping, weakness, or trouble running.
Kids might get an X-ray to look for healed fractures or rickets. If rickets is suspected, blood tests can help make that diagnosis.
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Knock Knee Surgery Cost
The cost for the surgery varies according to the geographical area.
However, in India, the average cost for the surgery can range between 1 lakhs to 2 lakhs
However, in these years the price for the surgery has drastically decreased, sothe cost of the surgery may be lesser than what we have stated.
Apart from that, the cost of knee surgery also depends upon the hospital & the surgeon.
Will knee replacement correct knock knees? Well, this question is might be cleared to you now.
Is Knock Knee A Disability
Genu valgum, commonly called knock-knee, is a condition in which the knees angle in and touch each other when the legs are straightened. Individuals with severe valgus deformities are typically unable to touch their feet together while simultaneously straightening the legs.
| Genu valgum |
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| Medical genetics |
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Overall How Advantageous Is It To Correct Knock
We and many other orthopaedic centers believe it is very advantageous to have an osteotomy for a painful knock-knee condition. Studies have shown that femoral osteotomy buys many years before patients need further surgery such as a partial or total knee replacement. This is particularly helpful in younger patients who wish to remain active and avoid knee replacement for as long as possible. Patients who require a lateral meniscus transplant or articular cartilage restoration procedure need to have the knock-knee malalignment corrected first or the other procedure will most likely fail.
When To Seek Medical Care
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