A valgus deformity is a condition in which the bone segment distal 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.

Knee arthritis with valgus knee

Rheumatoid knee commonly presents as valgus knee.

Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of articular cartilage, joint cartilage and underlying bone. A form of arthritis, it is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the world, affect ...

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

femur The femur (; : femurs or femora ), or thigh bone is the only long bone, bone in the thigh — the region of the lower limb between the hip and the knee. In many quadrupeds, four-legged animals the femur is the upper bone of the hindleg. The Femo ...

is bent outward in respect to the neck of the femur. Coxa valga >125 degrees. Coxa vara <125 degrees. * Knee: '' genu valgum'' (from Latin ''genu'' = knee) – the

tibia The tibia (; : tibiae or tibias), also known as the shinbone or shankbone, is the larger, stronger, and anterior (frontal) of the two Leg bones, bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates (the other being the fibula, behind and to the outsi ...

is turned outward in relation to the femur, resulting in a "knock-kneed" appearance. Common causes of knock-knee in adults include arthritis of the knee and traumatic injuries. * Toe: '' hallux valgus'' (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 metatarsophalangeal joint, MTP 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 ...

. * Wrist: '' Madelung's deformity'' – deformity wherein the wrist bones are not formed properly due to a genetic disorder.

Terminology

Valgus is a term for outward angulation of the distal segment of a

bone A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, ...

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 in which 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 ( ) is the study of the origin and evolution of words—including their constituent units of sound and meaning—across time. In the 21st century a subfield within linguistics, etymology has become a more rigorously scientific study. ...

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