Tibial torsion: cause or consequence of osteoarthritis?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between torsional variations of the lower extremity and the development of medial osteoarthritis in the knee. Computed tomography measurements of the femoral and tibial torsion were evaluated in 21 lower extremities of 19 patients with primary bilateral gonarthrosis and compared with 14 lower extremities of eight normal individuals. There was no statistically significant difference between lower extremities with and without gonarthrosis in terms of tibial torsion (26.20° ± 9.78° and 25.32° ± 11.50°,respectively), femoral torsion (15.89° ± 8.63° and 13.91° ± 7.26°, respectively) and tibiofemoral index (10.30° ± 13.06° and 11.39° ± 12.84°,respectively) (p>0.05). We conclude that medial compartment osteoarthritis in the early arthritic period is not always associated with torsional deformities of the lower limb.