What is Genu Valgum?

13 July 2015 | John

Genu Valgum is most commonly known as knock knee or knock knees, and is a deformity of the knee. The head of the deformity points inwards, and forces the knees to touch wg the feet to stay apart while standing upright.

This is incredibly common in young children, and while it is usually harmless and will work itself out, in some cases it can be quite painful and can cause problems walking. In adults, knock knees is much more serious and can lead to other parts of the body being affected, such as the feet.

What are the Symptoms of Genu Valgum?

The main symptom of knock knees is that when standing normally, the knees touch but the feet sit far apart on the ground. Knock knees is perfectly normal in young children, however if the gap between their ankles is over 10cm, if the angle of their knee is causing them pain or if they have difficulty walking then you should take them to a GP.

In adults, knock knees can cause pain in the back or hip joints and can cause a limp. Genu valgum in adulthood is a far more serious matter than in children and should be remedied as soon as possible to prevent further damage.

What are the Causes of Genu Valgum?

When born, children have bowed legs because of their body’s position in the womb, and after a few years their legs start to look knock kneed, because their body weight falls on the outside of their knee joint. However, if the knock knees is severe or lasts longer than it should (after age 7) then there could be an underlying cause to it.

This can be because of rickets, which affects bone development and is usually a result of a deficiency of Vitamin D. A nutritional condition can also cause knock knees, such as scurvy. In adults, knock knees can be because of a fracture of the shin bone which has not been corrected, or because of arthritis.

How Can Shoe Insoles Help with Genu Valgum?

While they cannot cure knock knees, the right shoe insole can help correct walking posture and make it easier to walk.

One of the ways a shoe insole can help with knock knees is by giving you lift in your heels. This helps your knees go back into their correct position and makes it less painful to walk around.

Another way a shoe insole can help with knock knees is to help prevent it happening in adults. As knock knees can be caused by an injury to the knee or leg, a shoe insole can prevent injury by making your stride more secure.

If you are interested in getting a shoe insole to help with knock knees, you can visit Shoe Insoles and check out our range of Shoe Insoles for Genu Valgum.