Knock Knee Surgery

Home / Knock Knee Surgery

The surgery may involve either influencing bone growth or cutting and straightening the thigh bone or shin bone. It is a condition in which the knees angle in and touch each other when the legs are straightened. … Read More

Top Doctors For Knock Knee Surgery Treatments

Top Hospitals For Knock Knee Surgery Treatments

Knock Knee Surgery

Knock Knee, also known as genu valgum, is a knee misalignment that makes the knees turn inward; the knees touch, but the ankles don’t. When people with knock knees stand on their feet, there’s a 3 inches gap or more between their ankles, due to the knees being bent inwards. Knock Knees are more common in children and usually self-correct as children grow. A knock Knee  can, however, also develop later in life from;
  • An injury or an infection in the knee or the leg.
  • Severe lack of vitamin D and calcium.
  • Obesity.
  • Knee arthritis.
Knock Knee surgery is usually the last resort in the treatment of knocked Knee and is only recommended in the event that natural growth doesn’t correct knock Knee, or the condition is severe and persistent.  There are about 3 forms of a knock Knee  surgery
  • Guided growth surgery,
  • Osteotomy, and
  • Knee replacement. 

Knock Knee  surgery procedure

Guided Growth Surgery  This knock Knee surgery is carried out in children. In this technique, small metal plates are sited inside the knee. This helps correct the knee growth over a period of about 12 months. The plates are removed once the treatment is complete. Guided growth surgery corrects knock Knee s by slowing down the growth of the bent side of the bone to enable the other side to catch up. The outer side of the knees, however, continues to grow normally; thereby causing the legs to grow straighter. This surgery is performed when the children are approaching puberty, just before their adolescent growth spurt; around the age of 11 for girls, and 13 for boys. knock Knee surgery recovery from a guided growth surgery; immediately after the surgery, children can bear weight on their legs and return to normal activities within just a few weeks after the procedure. Osteotomy  Osteotomy is carried out in older teens and adults. In this technique, a thin wedge of bone is detached from the leg bones to bring out realignment in the correct position. Plates and screws are then used as a permanent brace to fix the bones to their new position Osteotomy surgery is used to correct more severe forms of knock Knees, which do not naturally get better by the time a child has finished growing. The aim of an osteotomy is to straighten out the legs by changing the angle of the bones. knock Knee surgery recovery aftermath of an osteotomy surgery requires a hospital stay for a few days. Upon returning home, they must limit weight-bearing activities and may have to use a walker or crutches for 6 to 8 weeks. Physical therapy helps to restore muscle strength, and children can be able to return to full activity, sports inclusive, 6 months after the procedure. Knee replacement In the case of a knee replacement; an artificial knee that has been correctly aligned will be used to replace the knocked knee. The surgery may involve either influencing bone growth or cutting and straightening the thigh bone or shin bone. It is a condition in which the knees angle in and touch each other when the legs are straightened. DIAGNOSIS: • A standing child of average weight whose knees touch, but whose ankles do not, is usually considered to have knock knees. • An abnormal walking gait can also be a sign of the condition. • The condition usually becomes apparent when a child is 2 to 3 years old, and it may increase in severity until about age 4.

Symptoms

• knee pain.
• a limp when walking.
• pain in feet, hips, and ankles.
• stiff joints.
• lack of balance when standing.

Causes

  • Normal developmental knock Knees with peak incidence at the age 3 to 4 years.
  • Idiopathic (that is, no known cause).
  • Renal rickets.
  • Nutritional rickets and deficiency in vitamin D.
  • Hypophosphatemic rickets.
  • Obesity. 
  • Arthritis.
  • Genetics.

FAQ

Are there alternative treatments to knock Knee ?

In most cases of knock Knee s, treatment may not be needed; as it corrects itself while the child grows.  

If there are underlying conditions, the condition is treated. 

Surgery is a last resort, when a knock Knee  is severe or persistent. 

Other alternate treatment options are; 

  • The use of medications or supplements. 
  • Weight loss regimen. 
  • Regular exercise. 
  • The use of orthotics, a shoe insert.

What is the outlook of knock Knee ?

Majority of children with knock Knee s recover without treatment and go on to have a very positive long term outlook. For children who underwent surgery for severe forms of knock Knee , the outlook is also very excellent. Both the surgical and non-surgical techniques are pretty safe and the bones usually heal faster.

Children with severe forms of knock Knee s which does not improve, or had an underlying condition, and do not receive prompt treatment, may over time develop knee pain, meniscal tears, patellar (kneecap) dislocation, or cartilage damage (arthritis).