Blount’s disease is a growth disorder of the shin bone. It is believed to be caused due to soft bone tissue, obesity, genetics, hereditary factors and obstruction in natural bone growth. It commonly inflicts children and teenagers and has been reported mostly amongst the people from African race.
Treatment of this condition for younger children may involve bracing the leg with prosthetics. Whereas in adults or adolescents, surgery of the shin might be the only option. This disease is also known to re-surface after sessions of effective treatment and surgery. In this article we will introduce you to various symptoms of this disease.
Symptoms And Signs Of Blount’s Disease
The first symptom of this condition is experiencing pain under the knee in and around the shin bone. Proper physical examination of legs and other associated symptoms of Blount’s disease help in the correct diagnosis of this condition. In toddlers and infants it may appear as their inability or discomfort while walking. The usual indications to look at are their aversion towards walking where they may just sit immediately after walking a few steps or follow the session after walking with a lot of crying.
The most common symptom of Blount’s disease is outward bending of shin. This makes the legs appear asymmetric and cause severe discomfort in walking and using the legs to their full functionality.
Infantile Blount’s disease can be noticed only once the infant begins to walk. Otherwise too, the parents must keep an eye on the growth of the leg and report any kind of bend that they might notice. The adolescent Blount’s disease is much more pronounced and easier to point out.
If not managed, Blount’s disease leads to worsening of the bend in the shin eventually handicapping the patient suffering from it. The bend and pressure exerted on other bones because of it can also lead to trauma and fractures.
It begins with mild painful bouts under the knee and if not treated results in the outward bend of the shin. It is mostly severe in cases of adolescent Blount’s disease.
Disorientation Of Feet
Mainly due to the outward bend of the shin in Blount’s disease, the feet begins to point inwards or outwards as the case may be. In many cases where the infliction of this disease is more severe in one leg than the other, the feet may seem as they are simply hanging. This may cause serious difficulty in walking as not only the shin but the functionality of the feet is also lost.
Change In Size
In some rare cases, this condition may result in shortening and shrinkage on one leg as compared to other. The fact is that the leg does not grow short but the bend in the shin and resultant rotation of feet may reduce the length of the leg. This condition leads to limping and in some cases handicap.
This is again difficult to notice in children below an year of age since many such growth issues even themselves out within the coming months.