Information about Blount's Disease

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Q: What is infantile Blount's Disease?
A: Blount's Disease is a form of genu varum, a growth disorder of the shin bone (tibia), that causes bowing of the lower legs. Before the age of 2, most infants have naturally bowed legs because of their positioning in the uterus. As they age, the degree of bowing gradually diminishes, and their legs will eventually straighten out as their bones and muscles strengthen. This type of bowing is called physiological genu varum and is completely normal. However, in the case of Blount's dsiease, the bowing condition worsens over time because of an abnormality in the growth plate (physis) on top of the tibia. The uneven surface of the physis causes the lower legs to bend outward which impedes the normal growth of the tibia. Blount's disease is a form of pathological genu varum and should be treated as soon as the child is diagnosed with the disease.

Q: Does Blount's disease only occur in infants?
A: No. Although less common, Blount's disease can also be found in teenagers. In toddlers, the bowing is usually bilateral, meaning that both legs are affected; however, in teenagers, the bowing is usually only unilateral. Our project specifically deals with INFANTILE Blount's disease because it's more common and there are a lot more problems associated with making a brace that is specifically designed for toddlers. (Imagine having to hold down a crying two-year-old while he/she is being fitted for a leg brace and telling him/her that the unwieldy brace has to be worn for 23 hours every day? We all know that babies CANNOT be reasoned with...)

Q: What treatments are available for Blount's?
A: For younger children whose bowing condition is not so bad, leg braces need to be worn to correct the abnormal bone alignment. For those less fortunate kids and most teenager patients, osteotomy of part of the tibia is sometimes necessary. The condition worsens quickly if the disease is left untreated.

Q: What is a K.A.F.O? How does it help with the disease?
A: A KAFO is a knee-ankle-foot orthosis, and it is often involved in nonsurgical treatment of less severe cases of Blount's disease.

For more information, check out the following websites:
http://www.childrensorthopaedics.com/blountsdisease.html
http://www.orthopediatrics.com/docs/Guides/blounts.html