Knock-knee: From 3 Different Sources
Inward curving of the legs so that the knees touch, causing the feet to be kept further apart. Knockknee is common in toddlers and may be part of normal development. In adults or children, it may be caused by a disease such as rickets that softens the bones; osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis of the knee; or a leg fracture that has not healed correctly. In children, the condition usually disappears by age 10. Knock-knee that persists, or is caused by a disorder, may require osteotomy, in which the tibia (shin) is cut and realigned to straighten the leg. In adults, knee-joint replacement may be needed.
Knock-knee, or genu valgum, is a deformity of the lower limbs in such a direction that when the limbs are straightened the legs diverge from one another. As a result, in walking the knees knock against each other. The amount of knock-knee is measured by the distance between the medial malleoli of the ankles, with the inner surfaces of the knee touching and the knee-caps facing forwards. The condition is so common in children between the ages of 2–6 years that it may almost be regarded as a normal phase in childhood. When marked, or persisting into later childhood, it can be corrected by surgery (osteotomy).
n. abnormal in-curving of the legs, resulting in a gap between the ankles when the knees are in contact. In severe cases there is stress on the knee, ankle, and foot joints, resulting eventually in degenerative arthritis. The condition may be corrected by *osteotomy. Medical name: genu valgum.
See REFLEX ACTION.... knee jerk
A surgical operation to replace a diseased – usually osteoarthritic – KNEE with an arti?cial (metal or plastic) implant which covers the worn cartilage. As much of the original joint as possible is retained. The operations, like hip replacements, are usually done on older people (there is some restriction of movement) and about 90 per cent are successful.... knee-joint replacement
An in?ammation of the bursa in front of the knee-cap, often mistaken for some disease in the joint itself (see BURSITIS).... housemaid’s knee
See PATELLAR TENDINITIS.... jumper’s knee
Inflammation of the bursa that cushions the pressure point over the tibial tubercle (the bony prominence just below the knee) caused by prolonged kneeling (see bursitis).... clergyman’s knee
A temporary inability to move the knee joint. A locked knee may be caused by a torn cartilage or by loose bodies in the joint.... locked knee
A popular term for accumulation of fluid within or around the knee joint. The most common cause is bursitis. (See also effusion, joint).... water on the knee
(prepatellar bursitis) inflammation and resultant swelling of the bursa in front of the kneecap, usually due to repetitive friction and pressure over the kneecap, as from frequent episodes of prolonged kneeling. Treatment includes pressure bandaging, *NSAIDs, and avoidance of kneeling. See bursitis.... housemaid’s knee
(patellar tendinitis) a form of *tendinitis that is common in athletes and dancers. Repeated sudden contracture of the quadriceps muscle at take-off causes inflammation of the attachment of the patellar tendon to the lower end of the patella. Treatment includes rest, physiotherapy, and anti-inflammatory medication.... jumper’s knee
the buttocks-up position assumed by patients undergoing anorectal examinations, now commonly performed in the left lateral position. It is useful for helping patients dispel excess flatus following colonoscopy.... knee-elbow position
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