Knock knee surgery

Knee valgus (“knock knees”) is a lower limb defect characterised by an X-shaped alignment of the legs.

In case of significant bone deformities, conservative treatment (e.g. orthoses, rehabilitation) is unfortunately ineffectiveand surgical treatment is necessary. Today, there are minimallyinvasive techniques to guide bone growth even in very young children. They are based on the fact that bone growth is not completely inhibited, but only slowed down, and this is a completely reversibleprocess. These procedures are also minimally invasive (only a 2-3 cm scar), which makes the risk of general surgical complications small.

The most common causes of knee valgus are:

• congenital defects,
• improper union of the bones after a fracture of the lower part of the femur or the upper part of the tibia,
• osteoarthritis

In order to qualify for an osteotomy, the following requirements must be met: appropriate age of the patient (person up to 60 years old), regular physical activity, no excess weight, pain in the knee joint accompanied with mild to moderate degenerative changes, disturbed axis of the lower limb, ability to straighten and bend up to 90 degrees of the knee joint.

In the case of improper union of bones after trauma or degenerative diseases, a supracondylar osteotomyis used. Osteotomy is an innovative surgical procedure that involves cutting through the bone and then realigning it to the expected axis, with stabilisation of the new alignment using screws, plates and or a plaster dressing.

Rehabilitation
The key to achieving the desired results after osteotomy is correct rehabilitation. It is so important and necessary because the patient will be able to regain full mobility after osteotomy.

In the case of osteotomies, rehabilitation usually begins as early as the second day after the procedure. The physiotherapeutic exercises are also intended to alleviate temporary side effects that occur immediately after the surgery such as pain, swelling and the appearance of exudate. In minimally invasive methods, no immobilisation is necessary after surgery. The patient moves on crutches for 2 weeks after the osteotomy procedure.

Usually he can immediately put weight on the limb and within these 2 weeks he is already able to carry out standard activities as before the surgery, i.e. walking or even running.