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Blount disease

High YieldPaediatric OrthopaedicsthinKbox SBA

Definition

A growth disorder of the medial proximal tibial physis causing progressive tibia vara.

Types

  • Infantile form
  • Adolescent form

Clinical features

  • Varus deformity centred at the proximal tibia
  • Internal tibial torsion may coexist
  • Lateral thrust during gait in more severe cases
  • Often associated with obesity, especially in the adolescent form

Imaging

  • Medial metaphyseal beaking and sloping
  • Abnormal medial proximal tibial physis
  • Mechanical axis passes medially

Differential diagnosis

  • Physiological bowing
  • Rickets
  • Skeletal dysplasia

Management

  • Observation in physiological bowing only
  • Bracing in selected early infantile cases
  • Osteotomy or guided growth for progressive deformity
  • More complex deformity correction in neglected cases

Diagram

Blount disease

Written/reviewed by Kishore Puthezhath

Professor of Orthopaedics and Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon

FRCS (Tr & Orth) revision resource

Reviewed: September 2026