What do knock knees look like

The knees may tilt increasingly inward up until about age 4 or 5. Some children continue to have knock knees into adolescence.

Stages of development What are the symptoms of knock knees? Symptoms include: symmetric inward angulation of the knees ankles remain apart while the knees are touching unusual walking pattern outward rotated feet What causes knock knees? Less often, knock knees is caused by a more serious disorder: Genetic conditions such as skeletal dysplasias or metabolic bone disease such as rickets can cause knock knees. Obesity can contribute to knock knees or cause gait abnormalities that resemble knock knees.

An injury to the growth area of the shinbone tibia or thighbone femur may result in just one inward-tilting knee. When should parents be concerned about knock knees? The commitment and compassion with which we care for all children and families is matched only by the pioneering spirit of discovery and innovation that drives us to think differently, to find answers, and to build a better tomorrow for children everywhere.

During normal growth phases, the child's 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: Left preoperative image showing knock knee. Right postoperative image showing leg alignment after surgical correction and removal of metal plates.

Knock knee can be caused by an underlying congenital or developmental disease or arise after an infection or a traumatic knee injury. Common causes of knock knees include:. Other symptoms, including pain, are often a result of the gait manner of walking adopted by people with knock knees. A person may also have other symptoms from an underlying condition that is causing the knock-knee syndrome.

In people of all age groups who have knock knees, one or both knees is abnormally overloaded. This excessive force can lead to pain, further bone deformity, knee instability and progressive degeneration of the knee joint.

In particular, adult patients who have been knock-kneed for many years often overload the outside lateral compartment of the knee, and stretch the inside medial collateral ligament — MCL. These forces can cause pain, knee instability and arthritis. They will also do a physical examination of the legs and gait. Standing-alignment X-ray or EOS images will help confirm the diagnosis. Rickets disease is a disorder caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate.

It leads to softening and weakening of the bones, and may cause bowlegs or knock-knees. While conservative treatments are most often recommended, bracing or surgery may be required, based on disorder severity. Blount's Disease is a disorder caused by an abnormal growth plate in the upper tibia. While the cause of Blount's disease is unknown, it can affect both toddlers and teenagers. Treatment of Blount's disease depends on the severity of the deformity and the age of the child, and may involve observation, bracing or surgery.

With 7 fellowship trained pediatric surgeons, the Children's Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates team provides the highest level of comprehensive care to patients in the Tampa area, including St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Brandon, Florida.

The Children's Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates specialize in providing state-of-the-art comprehensive care, both surgical and non-surgical, to patients suffering from congenital orthopaedic anomalies , such as bowlegs and knock knees. To learn more about bowlegs and knock-knees, please schedule an appointment at one of our Tampa-St. Philip McClure.

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John Herzenberg Dr. Shawn Standard Dr. Philip McClure Dr. Janet Conway Dr. Michael Assayag Dr. Christopher Bibbo Dr. These images show Georgina before and after treatment for post-traumatic genu valgum of the left tibia. Before Surgery: X-ray of patient taken before surgery showing that when a line is drawn from the hip to the ankle, the line passes to the outside of the knee indicating a misalignment, knock knees.

After Surgery: X-ray of the same patient after acute corrective surgery using fixator-assisted plating. Surgery on the left and right knees were performed two months apart. One Year After Surgery: X-ray of patient taken one year later.