Anterior Knee Pain and Excessive External Tibial Torsion in Female Patients: Rationale and Outcomes of Rotational Tibial Osteotomy

TL;DR

This paper discusses how excessive tibial torsion causes knee pain in women and explores the effectiveness of tibial osteotomy as a treatment.

Contribution

The study provides rationale and outcomes for rotational tibial osteotomy in treating anterior knee pain due to excessive external tibial torsion in female patients.

Findings

Internal rotational tibial osteotomy is a reliable treatment for symptomatic excessive external tibial torsion.

Outcomes of the procedure are favorable with minimal complications in appropriately selected cases.

Abstract

Excessive external tibial torsion (ETT) is a recognized cause of anterior knee pain (AKP). In patients with excessive ETT, placing the foot forward during gait causes the knee joint to point inward, increasing the Q-angle and the lateral quadriceps vector. In appropriately selected cases, internal rotational tibial osteotomy is a reliable treatment option for symptomatic excessive ETT, yielding favorable outcomes with minimal complications. Nevertheless, no universally accepted torsion threshold exists to guide surgical decision-making, and evidence remains limited regarding the optimal anatomic level for performing the osteotomy.

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