When Is Osteotomy Recommended for Knock Knees?

Knock knees, or genu valgum, bring the knees toward each other while the ankles remain farther apart. Some alignment variation occurs during growth. A persistent or progressive deformity can alter how force travels through the hip, knee and ankle, sometimes irritating the outer side of the knee or changing gait.

An osteotomy corrects the bony angle, usually in the thigh bone or shin bone, based on full-leg alignment measurements. The surgeon considers age, growth remaining, the cause, limb length, joint stability and cartilage condition. A visible shape alone does not establish a need for surgery.

Arrange an orthopaedic review for pain, asymmetry, increasing curvature, frequent tripping or difficulty with sport and stairs. Bring prior images and mention injury, childhood illness or other skeletal concerns. Depending on age and cause, monitoring, physiotherapy, footwear or treatment of an underlying problem may come first.

For a planned correction, discuss the exact bone, fixation, expected walking restrictions and rehabilitation. Therapy usually progresses from protecting the healing bone to restoring knee movement, leg strength, balance and confident gait.

Seek prompt care after an injury causing severe pain or inability to walk, or for fever with a hot swollen knee. Rapidly worsening alignment, sudden loss of movement or a child who stops walking also warrants timely assessment.

Where is the deformity located, and what does the full-leg X-ray show? Is growth remaining? Could strengthening address my functional problem, or would bone realignment better restore the load path?