Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List
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Knock knee
Knock knee is an abnormal distance between the ankles when the knees are touching. It is commonly seen in children and is rarely anything to worry about. Up to three quarters of children between the age of three and five have the condition and it usually corrects itself by the age of about seven. Treatment may be necessary if the knock knee does not correct itself or if it is caused by an underlying medical problem.
The medical term for knock knee is genu valgum. ‘Genu’ is Latin for knee and ‘valgus’ means bent outwards. The opposite condition, where the knees turn outwards is called genu varum.
