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Knee valgus, also known as knock knee, is a condition that can affect individuals of all ages due to an incorrect alignment of the knee. Over time, the uneven force it puts on the knees can lead to pain, damage to the joints, and early-onset knee arthritis. The deformity will be corrected to enhance knee mechanics, walking ability, pain, and knee injury development. Early childhood knee valgus normally corrects spontaneously. About 75% of 3- to 5-year-olds have knock knees.

What are Knock Knees & its Effects?

Most children get temporary knee knocks. As the child grows, this generally gets better on its own. Knock knees above six years old, severe, or affecting one leg more than the other may indicate knock-knee syndrome.

Normal leg angular alterations occur in most children. Most kids are bowlegged until they are 12 to 18 months old, when they start walking. They commonly become knock-kneed by two to three years old because their legs slant inward. By the time a kid is seven to eight years old, their legs will be straight. The rise of knee pain when walking can lead to mobility and different underlying issues.

Knock knees that persist beyond these typical developmental growth patterns may be the result of disease, infection, or other relevant factors. It's possible that someone has a more serious case of knock knees if the angle between their legs from hip to foot isn't normal, gets worse over time, or is only present on one side of their body. They may need to see an orthopedic expert for more tests. The problem might need surgery to be fixed.

What are the Signs of Knee Valgus?

The most obvious sign of a knock knee is when a person's feet come apart when their knees are together. Knocking knees can cause other symptoms, including pain, due to their gait. Some of these signs are:

• Knee or hip discomfort

• Ankle or foot pain

• Joint stiffness or pain

• Knee weakness

As individuals develop knee arthritis, patients or parents may encounter aesthetic concerns. People who have knock-knee syndrome may also have other signs of a condition that is going on underneath. Knock knees cause abnormal compression in one or both knees in all ages. This kind of excessive force can cause pain, more deformities in the bones, weakness in the knee, and joint breakdown over time.

What Are The Reasons For This Condition?

Most of the time, knee varus is a normal part of a child's growth. It can happen by chance, but it looks like it runs in families. You could also get knock-knees from:

• Knee or leg damage

• Infection

• Rickets

• Vitamin D and calcium deficiencies 

• Obesity can cause knee pain and arthritis

Diagnosis 

People over the age of 10 should get their knees checked to see if there is a reason for their knee valgus. You will have to get help for a bone disease or arthritis. Your doctor will watch how you stand and walk during a physical check. Doctors for knee pain can help in diagnosing the issues and providing solutions. They will also try to judge:

• Different lengths of your legs

• Your knee's angle of alignment

• The bottoms of your shoes are worn down unevenly.

• Your doctor may sometimes ask for an X-ray or MRI scan to see how your bones are built.

Treatment Options?

The valgus knee treatment is dependent upon the etiology and severity of the symptoms.If over-the-counter pain relievers like naproxen and aleve aren't helping, your doctor may also give you prescription-strength nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. For instance, if your knock-knees are caused by rickets, a knee specialist in Dallas will probably give you vitamin D and calcium supplements to help your levels get back to normal. Here are some options:

Workout 

It has been shown that exercise can help most people with valgus knee realign and strengthen their knees. Your doctor or physical therapist can look at how you walk and suggest workouts that will help strengthen the muscles in your legs, hips, and thighs. There are also some moves that might help ease the pain. Knee arthritis treatment without surgery involves a couple of exercises that can be helpful to treat the ailment.

Stretching With a Single Leg Band

A resistance exercise band is used in this move to help strengthen the muscles that bend at the hips. This includes following steps:

• Hold the resistance band firmly to a stable object at ankle height and stand straight on the band.

• Tighten the band around your ankle farther from the support. 

• Swing your leg out to the side to stretch the resistance band. Hold the position for two seconds once your leg is as straight out as it can go, then slowly move it back to a normal position.

Leaning Ankle Band

• This move makes the legs stronger and stretches the muscles that bend at the hips.

• Hold the resistance band in place at a strong point about hip height and stand at the end of the band, straight out from the anchor.

• Put the band around the ankle of the nearby person. Move your other foot out to make your feet wider than hip-width.

• Bend your non-resistance band knee and lean away. Keep both feet grounded. The band should tug inside your ankle.

• Lean as far as possible. Stay still for two seconds, then stand.  Do this ten to fifteen times on each leg.

Losing Weight

Knock knees can be made worse by someone having too much weight. It is possible for a damaged knee to get worse when you carry extra weight on your legs and knees. A person who is overweight will probably be told by their doctor to lose weight by dieting and working out.

Orthotics

If your legs aren't the same length because of knee valgus, putting a heel patch in the shoe on the shorter side can make your legs the same length and help you walk more normally. It might also help with leg pain. If a child's knocked knees doesn't heal by age 8, a brace or cast may help the bones grow in the right direction. Knee varus treatment involves physical therapy, orthotics, and in severe conditions, surgical procedure. 

Surgery

If your valgus knee is very bad, or if exercise doesn't help ease the pain and keep your knee stable, your doctor may suggest surgery. Orthopedic surgery in Dallas can treat musculoskeletal issues, enhancing mobility and the quality of life. Younger people can help guide their bone growth by having a small metal plate put in their knee. Guided growth surgery is the name for this small operation. Once the bone growth is normal, the plate is taken off. An osteotomy may be beneficial for adults. Metal plates that stay in place after surgery keep bones in place. This can move your knees and change the bones in your legs. People over 65 can also get knee replacement surgery.

Specialized Knee Valgus Approach