What Are Knocked Knees?
Knock knees, also called genu valgum, is a type of knee condition. Knock knees occur when your knees tilt together, but your ankles stay apart. This condition usually affects Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵren between 3–7 years old.
Most Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵren experience some kind of knock knees as they grow. The condition usually corrects itself as your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ gets older. However, if your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ’s knock knees do not go away, they may need treatment.
What Causes Knock Knees?
Children start out bow-legged. As they grow, their legs begin to straighten. When they learn to walk, their knees tilt inward. The tilting causes their knees to touch, creating knocked knees. In most cases, your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ will outgrow having knocked knees.
There are other conditions that can cause knock knees:
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Metabolic problems with the bone
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Injury or infection in the leg
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Obesity or being overweight
Knock Knees Symptoms
The most common symptom of knock knees is visible when your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ stands. If your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ has knock knees, you may notice that your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ’s knees touch and their ankles stay far apart.
Your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ may also experience knee pain or join stiffness especially with activity.
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How Is Knock Knees Diagnosed?
Your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ’s health care provider will perform a physical exam to check your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ for knock knees. They will look at your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ’s legs, knees, and ankles. Your provider may also measure the distance between your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ’s ankle bones. If your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ is older than two years old, your provider may suggest an X-ray.
Knock Knees Treatment
The first step in treating knock knees is pinpointing the cause of your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ’s knock knees. Most cases of knock knees do not need treatment.
Treatment options depend on the age of your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ and severity of their knock knees. Medications and nutrition supplements treat knock knees caused by rickets.
Knocked Knee Surgery
If your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ’s knock knees do not improve with time and treatment, your provider may suggest surgery. Knock knee surgery is called guided growth surgery.
Guided growth surgery is an option for Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵren still growing. Your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ’s surgeon inserts a small metal bracket in your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ’s knee to help direct future bone growth. The surgeon removes the growth plate when bone angle improves. In more severe cases, or for older Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵren who are done growing, a surgery to cut and realign the bone may be needed.
Your pediatric surgeon may recommend simple exercises and physical therapy after surgery. Exercises and physical therapy can improve your Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ’s strength and range of motion.
Why Choose Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ of Utah Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ?
U of U Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ has year-after-year exceptional rankings as offering the best health care in the nation. It's not a surprise. We believe collaboration throughout our system — from physicians, researchers, biologists, and more — leads to the most imaginative care.
Working together in a rich, diverse clinical environment means our discoveries have a direct impact on the health of our patients. U of U Ìð¹ÏÊÓƵ isn't satisfied with just offering health care. We want to transform it.
