Blount's disease

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Anterior skeletal anatomy

Tibia vara

Children who develop severe bowing before the age of 3 may be treated with bracing. If bracing fails, or if bowing is not detected until the child is older, surgery is usually required. Surgery may involve cutting the shin bone (tibia) to realign it, and sometimes lengthen it as well.

Other times, the growth of just the outer half of the tibia can be surgically restricted to allow the child’s natural growth to reverse the bowing process. This second, much smaller surgery is most effective in children with less severe bowing and significant growth remaining.

Return to normal function and cosmetic appearance is expected if the knee can be properly aligned.

Failure to treat Blount's disease may lead to progressive deformity.

Blount's disease may come back after surgery, especially in younger children.

Call for an appointment with your child's health care provider if your child's leg or legs appear to be bowing. Also call for an appointment if your child has bowed legs that appear to be getting worse.

Review Date: 12/04/2006
Reviewed By: Thomas N. Joseph, MD, Private Practice specializing in Orthopaedics, subspecialty Foot and Ankle, Camden Bone & Joint, Camden, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.