pathology: knock knees

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knock knees (genu valgum)

Definition

Very rare congenital, mostly acquired deformity of the legs with at least 185° between the midline of the body and the lower leg or max. 171° between the femur and tibia (instead of 174° measured laterally on the bones). In infancy, knock-knees are physiological, but must grow out. The knock-knee is often associated with a bowed foot and a posteriorly hyperextended knee (genu recurvaturum).

ICD M21, E64, Q74

Cause

– Diseases

  1. Rickets (vitamin D-dependent or -resistant; renal)
  2. Polio
  3. Paresis
  4. Inflammations

– traumatisch

  1. Traumen
  2. Frakturen

– Musculoskeletal system

  1. Dysplasias
  2. Narrowing of the lateral joint space due to loss of meniscus tissue and osteochondral structures
  3. Insufficient medial ligament and soft tissue structures

– Other factors

  1. Overweight

Symptoms

  1. possibly pain in the outer knee
  2. Sensitivity to weather

Complications

  1. Damage to the outer meniscus, later lateral gonarthrosis
  2. Necessity of joint replacement
  3. Coxarthrosis

Therapy

  1. Infantile: Conservative: with night splint
  2. Stretching orthosis to relieve the lateral joint space
  3. Repositioning osteotomy – no longer for existing osteoarthritis, then TEP