The Appearance and the Axial Alignment of the Lower Extremity

Lee, Seoung Joon; Joo, Sung Dae; Park, Sang Won; Lee, Kwang Suk; Sung, Jun Ji; Lee, Soon Hyuck

Abstract

PURPOSE
To investigate the relationship between the varus appearance and the axial alignment of the lower extremity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The axial alignments of the lower extremities of 46 normal male adults (volunteers) were measured from the radiographs and compared with the reports for Caucasians, and between the groups divided according to their subjective appearance. RESULTS: The femorotibial mechanical angle was 177.4+/-2.4degrees and the medial obliquity of the knee was 94.3+/-2.0degrees, which were the varus compared with the reported reference points. In the group containing those with the subjective varus appearance of the lower extremities, the femorotibial mechanical angle and the medial obliquity of the knee and ankle joint were the varus, and the metaphyseal-diaphyseal angle was greater than in the group containing those with the subjective straight appearance of the lower extremity (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The axial alignment of the lower extremities of young male adult Korean is the varus, and the subjective varus appearance of the lower extremity is related to the varus axial alignment.