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Bowing of one or both legs that may:
- Be rapidly progressive
- Appear asymmetric
- Primarily occur just below the knee
Failure to treat Blount's disease may lead to progressive deformity.Blount's disease may come back after surgery, especially in younger children. Because of the bowing, a leg-length discrepancy may result. This may result in disability if the discrepancy is significant (greater than 1 inch) and is not treated.
Proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD), also known as Congenital Femoral Deficiency (CFD), is a rare, non-hereditary birth defect that affects the pelvis, particularly the hip bone, and the proximal femur. The disorder may affect one side or both, with the hip being deformed and the leg shortened.
It is commonly linked with the absence or shortening of a leg bone (fibular hemimelia) and the absence of a kneecap. Other linked birth defects include the dislocation or instability of the joint between the femur and the kneecap, a shortened tibia or fibula, and foot deformities.
There are typically four classes (or "types") of PFFD, ranging from class A to class D, as detailed by Aitken.
Triplane fracture is a fracture at the epiphyseal plate of the tibia in early adolescence with involvement of the epiphysis and metaphysis of the tibia. The link presents two types of imaging. The first four images (figures 1-4) are radiographic images while the last 3 are CT scans of the left distal tibia and fibula. The first radiographic image is an anterior-posterior view of the distal third of the left tibia and fibula. The image presents a fracture of the distal epiphyseal plate of the tibia and fibula. The primary imaging (radiograph) identifies the abnormality in the anatomy of subject’s left distal tibia and fibula. However, it is difficult to view the extent of the fracture and classify the fracture based on radiographic image. Figure four is a CT scan of the posterior aspect of the left distal tibia and fibula. Note that in this image the extent of the fracture is more visible extending to the epiphysis and metaphysis. The type of fracture is a Salter-Harris type IV. The CT scan was an appropriate choice of advance imaging which helps clinicians determine the extent of the fracture and enable us to address the problem appropriately.
Children until the age of 3 to 4 have a degree of Genu Varum. The child sits with the soles of the feet facing one another; the tibia and femur are curved outwards; and, if the limbs are extended, although the ankles are in contact, there is a distinct space between the knee-joints. During the first year of life, a gradual change takes place. The knee-joints approach one another; the femur slopes downward and inward towards the knee joints; the tibia become straight; and the sole of the foot faces almost directly downwards.
While these changes are occurring, the bones, which at first consist principally of cartilage, are gradually becoming ossified. By the time a normal child begins to walk, the lower limbs are prepared, both by their general direction and by the rigidity of the bones which form them, to support the weight of the body.
If a child is sickly, either with rickets or any other ailment that prevents ossification of the bones, or is improperly fed, the bowed condition may persist. Thus the chief cause of this deformity is rickets. Skeletal problems, infection, and tumors can also affect the growth of the leg, sometimes giving rise to a one-sided bow-leggedness. The remaining causes are occupational, especially among jockeys, and from physical trauma, the condition being very likely to supervene after accidents involving the condyles of the femur.
The following factors may be involved in causing this deformity:
- Inherent laxity of the knee ligaments
- Weakness of biceps femoris muscle
- Instability of the knee joint due to ligaments and joint capsule injuries
- Inappropriate alignment of the tibia and femur
- Malunion of the bones around the knee
- Weakness in the hip extensor muscles
- Gastrocnemius muscle weakness (in standing position)
- Upper motor neuron lesion (for example, hemiplegia as the result of a cerebrovascular accident)
- Lower motor neuron lesion (for example, in post-polio syndrome)
- Deficit in joint proprioception
- Lower limb length discrepancy
- Congenital genu recurvatum
- Cerebral palsy
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Limited dorsiflexion (plantar flexion contracture)
- Popliteus muscle weakness
- Connective tissue disorders. In these disorders, there are excessive joint mobility (joint hypermobility) problems. These disorders include:
- Marfan syndrome
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- Benign hypermobile joint syndrome
- Osteogenesis imperfecta disease
Typical symptoms include pain, refusing to walk or bear weight and limping -bruising and deformity are absent. On clinical examination, there can be warmth and swelling over the fracture area, as well as pain on bending the foot upwards (dorsiflexion). The initial radiographical images may be inconspicuous (a faint oblique line) and often even completely normal. After 1–2 weeks however, callus formation develops. The condition can be mistaken for osteomyelitis, transient synovitis or even child abuse. Contrary to CAST fractures, non-accidental injury typically affect the upper two-thirds or midshaft of the tibia.
Other possible fractures in this area, occurring in the cuboid, calcaneus, and fibula, can be associated or can be mistaken for a toddler's fracture. In some cases, an internal oblique radiography and radionuclide imaging can add information to anterior-posterior and lateral views. However, since treatment can also be initiated in the absence of abnormalities, this appears to have little value in most cases. It could be useful in special cases such as children with fever, those without a clear trauma or those in which the diagnosis remains unclear. Recently, ultrasound has been suggested as a helpful diagnostic tool.
The cause of in-toeing can be differentiated based on the location of the disalignment. The variants are:
- Curved foot (metatarsus adductus)
- Twisted shin (tibial torsion)
- Twisted thighbone (femoral anteversion)
Genu recurvatum is a deformity in the knee joint, so that the knee bends backwards. In this deformity, excessive extension occurs in the tibiofemoral joint. Genu recurvatum is also called knee hyperextension and back knee. This deformity is more common in women and people with familial ligamentous laxity. Hyperextension of the knee may be mild, moderate or severe.
The normal range of motion (ROM) of the knee joint is from 0 to 135 degrees in an adult. Full knee extension should be no more than 10 degrees. In genu recurvatum (back knee), normal extension is increased. The development of genu recurvatum may lead to knee pain and knee osteoarthritis.
The Segond fracture is a type of avulsion fracture (soft tissue structures tearing off bits of their bony attachment) of the lateral tibial condyle of the knee, immediately beyond the surface which articulates with the femur.
Tibia shaft fracture is a fracture of the proximal (upper) third of the tibia (lower leg bone). Due to the location of the tibia, it is frequently injured. Thus it is the most commonly fractured long bone in the body.
Tibial plateau fractures typically presents with knee effusion, swelling of the knee soft tissues and inability to bear weight. The knee may be deformed due to displacement and/or fragmentation of the tibia which leads to loss of its normal structural appearance. Blood in the soft tissues and knee joint (hemarthrosis) may lead to bruising and a doughy feel of the knee joint. Due to the tibial plateau's proximity to important vascular (i.e. arteries, veins) and neurological (i.e. nerves such as peroneal and tibial) structures, injuries to these may occur upon fracture. A careful examination of the neurovascular systems is imperative. A serious complication of tibial plateau fractures is compartment syndrome in which swelling causes compression of the nerves and blood vessels inside the leg and may ultimately lead to necrosis or cell death of the leg tissues.
Patients with tibial shaft fractures present with pain and localized swelling. Due to the pain they are unable to bear weight. There may be deformity, angulation, or malroation of the leg. Fractures that are open (bone exposed or breaking the skin) are common.
A trimalleolar fracture is a fracture of the ankle that involves the lateral malleolus, the medial malleolus, and the distal posterior aspect of the tibia, which can be termed the posterior malleolus. The trauma is sometimes accompanied by ligament damage and dislocation.
The three aforementioned parts of bone articulate with the talus bone of the foot. Strictly speaking, there are only two malleoli (medial and lateral), but the term trimalleolar is used nevertheless and as such is a misnomer.
Pigeon toe (also known as metatarsus varus, metatarsus adductus, in-toe gait, intoeing or false clubfoot) is a condition which causes the toes to point inward when walking. It is most common in infants and children under two years of age and, when not the result of simple muscle weakness, normally arises from underlying conditions, such as a twisted shin bone or an excessive anteversion (femoral head is more than 15° from the angle of torsion) resulting in the twisting of the thigh bone when the front part of a person's foot is turned in.
Severe cases are considered a form of clubfoot.
The Gosselin fracture is a V-shaped fracture of the distal tibia which extends into the ankle joint and fractures the tibial plafond into anterior and posterior fragments.
The fracture was described by Leon Athanese Gosselin, chief of surgery at the Hôpital de la Charité in Paris.
Toddler's fractures or childhood accidental spiral tibial (CAST) fractures are bone fractures of the distal (lower) part of the shin bone (tibia) in toddlers (aged 9 months-3 years) and other young children (less than 8 years). The fracture is found in the distal two thirds of the tibia in 95% of cases, is undisplaced and has a spiral pattern. It occurs after low-energy trauma, sometimes with a rotational component.
Symptoms of an ankle fracture can be similar to those of ankle sprains (pain), though typically they are often more severe by comparison. It is exceedingly rare for the ankle joint to dislocate in the presence of ligamentous injury alone. However, in the setting of an ankle fracture the talus can become unstable and subluxate or dislocate. Patients may complain of ecchymosis (bruising), or there may be an abnormal position, abnormal motion, or lack of motion.
Attenuated patella alta is an extremely rare condition affecting mobility and leg strength. It is characterized by an unusually small knee cap (patella) that develops out of and above the joint. Normally, as the knee cap sits in the joint, it is stimulated to growth by abrasion from the opposing bones. When not situated properly in the joint, the knee cap does not experience such stimulation and remains small and undeveloped. Note that the cartilage under and around the kneecap is eight times smoother than ice, so "abrasion" may not be the best term.
A similar condition, patella alta, can occur as the result of a sports injury, though the large majority of the time it is a congenital/developmental condition that is unrelated to trauma. A kneecap in an "alta" position sits above the "trochlear groove" and therefore is less stable. The "patellar tendon" that connects the kneecap to the tibia (shinbone)is elongated (longer than normal). This cannot happen by way of trauma, unless there has been a rupture of the tendon and a less-than-optimal surgical repair.
There has been only one documented case of the disorder noted from birth. In 1988, three-year-old Eric Rogstad of Minneapolis, Minnesota was discovered to suffer from the condition in both knees after several attempts by his parents and family physician to discover the cause of his abnormal difficulties with walking and running. After surgery and physical therapy, Eric gained the ability to walk and run without significant difficulty.
Insall Ratio: This ratio is calculated with the knee flexed to 30 degrees. It is the ratio of the length of the patella to the length of the patellar tendon. Normally this ratio is 1:1 but 20% variation represents patella alta or patella infera. Actually, the Insall-Salvati ratio can be measured at any degree of flexion, which is one reason for its popularity.
It can result from syphilis, yaws, Paget's disease of bone, Vitamin D deficiency, or Weismann-Netter-Stuhl syndrome.
It can be due to osteomalacia
A crus fracture is a fracture of the lower legs bones meaning either or both of the tibia and fibula.
People often describe pain as being “inside the knee cap.” The leg tends to flex even when relaxed. In some cases, the injured ligaments involved in patellar dislocation do not allow the leg to flex almost at all.
A tibial plateau fracture is a break of the upper part of the tibia (shinbone) that involves the knee joint. Symptoms include pain, swelling, and a decreased ability to move the knee. People are generally unable to walk. Complication may include injury to the artery or nerve, arthritis, and compartment syndrome.
The cause is typically trauma such as a fall or motor vehicle collision. Risk factors include osteoporosis and certain sports such as skiing. Diagnosis is typically suspected based on symptoms and confirmed with X-rays and a CT scan. Some fractures may not be seen on plain X-rays.
Pain may be managed with NSAIDs, opioids, and splinting. In those who are otherwise healthy, treatment is generally by surgery. Occasionally, if the bones are well aligned and the ligaments of the knee are intact, people may be treated without surgery.
They represent about 1% of broken bones. They occur most commonly in middle aged males and older females. In the 1920s they were called a "fender fracture" due to their association with people being hit by a motor vehicle while walking.