A valgus deformity is a condition in which the bone segment

distal Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position pro ...

to a joint is angled outward, that is, angled laterally, away from the body's midline. The opposite deformation, where the twist or angulation is directed medially, toward the center of the body, is called varus. Common causes of valgus knee (

genu valgum Genu, a Latin word for "knee," may refer to: * Genu of internal capsule * Genu of the corpus callosum * Genu recurvatum * Genu valgum * Genu varum Genu varum (also called bow-leggedness, bandiness, bandy-leg, and tibia vara) is a varus def ...

or "knock-knee") in adults include arthritis of the knee and traumatic injuries.

Knee arthritis with valgus knee

Rheumatoid knee commonly presents as valgus knee.

Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone which affects 1 in 7 adults in the United States. It is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the w ...

knee may also sometimes present with valgus deformity though varus deformity is common. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to correct valgus deformity is surgically difficult and requires specialized implants called constrained condylar knees.

Examples

* Ankle: ''talipes valgus'' (from Latin ''talus'' = ankle and ''pes'' = foot) – outward turning of the heel, resulting in a 'flat foot' presentation. * Elbows: ''

cubitus valgus Cubitus valgus is a medical deformity in which the forearm is angled away from the body to a greater degree than normal when fully extended. A small degree of cubitus valgus (known as the carrying angle) is acceptable and occurs in the general ...

'' (from Latin ''cubitus'' = elbow) – forearm is angled away from the body * Foot: ''pes valgus'' (from Latin ''pes'' = foot) – a medial deviation of the foot at subtalar joint. * Hand: ''manus valgus'' (from Latin ''manus'' = hand) * Hip: ''

coxa valga Coxa valga is a deformity of the hip where the angle formed between the head and neck of the femur and its shaft is increased, usually above 135 degrees. The differential diagnosis includes neuromuscular disorders (i.e. cerebral palsy, spinal dys ...

'' (from Latin ''coxa'' = hip) – the shaft of the

femur The femur (; ), or thigh bone, is the proximal bone of the hindlimb in tetrapod vertebrates. The head of the femur articulates with the acetabulum in the pelvic bone forming the hip joint, while the distal part of the femur articulates with ...

is bent outward in respect to the neck of the femur. Coxa valga >125 degrees. Coxa vara <125 degrees. * Knee: ''

'' (from Latin ''genu'' = knee) – the tibia is turned outward in relation to the femur, resulting in a knock-kneed appearance. * Toe: ''

hallux valgus A bunion, also known as hallux valgus, is a deformity of the joint connecting the big toe to the foot. The big toe often bends towards the other toes and the joint becomes red and painful. The onset of bunions is typically gradual. Complicat ...

'' (from Latin ''hallux'' = big toe) – outward deviation of the big toe toward the second toe, resulting in

bunion A bunion, also known as hallux valgus, is a deformity of the joint connecting the big toe to the foot. The big toe often bends towards the other toes and the joint becomes red and painful. The onset of bunions is typically gradual. Complicatio ...

. * Wrist: ''

Madelung's deformity Madelung's deformity is usually characterized by malformed wrists and wrist bones and is often associated with Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis. It can be bilateral (in both wrists) or just in the one wrist. It has only been recognized within the pa ...

'' – deformity wherein the wrist bones are not formed properly due to a genetic disorder.

Terminology

Valgus is a term for outward angulation of the

segment of a

bone A bone is a Stiffness, rigid Organ (biology), organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red blood cell, red and white blood cells, store minerals, provid ...

joint A joint or articulation (or articular surface) is the connection made between bones, ossicles, or other hard structures in the body which link an animal's skeletal system into a functional whole.Saladin, Ken. Anatomy & Physiology. 7th ed. McGraw ...

. The opposite condition is called varus, which is a medial deviation of the distal bone. The terms varus and valgus always refer to the direction that the distal segment of the joint points. The original Latin definitions for ''varus'' and ''valgus'' were the opposite of their current usage. For a discussion of the

etymology Etymology ()The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the Phonological chan ...

of these words, see the entry under varus. A mnemonic to remember the two deformities is that valgus contains an "L", for Lateral deviation.

References

* Canale & Beaty: Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics, 11th ed. - 2007 - Mosby, An Imprint of Elsevier * Bowed Leg (Varus) and Knock-Knee (Valgus) Malalignment: Everything You Need to Know to Make the Right Treatment Decision-Understanding lower limb malalignment-Tibial osteotomy for bowed legs, Noyes, Frank R. and Barber-Westin, Sue, Amazon Digital Version, Publish Green (October 6, 2013)

External links

{{Acquired deformities Arthropathies Medical signs Skeletal disorders

Knee arthritis with valgus knee

Examples

Terminology

See also

References

External links