The femur, often known as the thighbone, is your body’s most prolonged, heaviest, and strongest bone. Its uppermost section, known as the femoral head, forms a ball-and-socket connection with your hip, allowing you to stand and move without difficulty.
The toes may turn inward, and the legs may appear bowed when the thighbone is rotated or twisted inward. Femoral anteversion is the medical term for this ailment.
Are you probably wondering what femoral anteversion is? Femoral anteversion is an ailment in which the femoral neck is severely twisted towards the body’s midline. It is usually common in children aged 4 to 6 years.
Children usually have 30 to 40 degrees of femoral anteversion at birth. Fortunately, as they grow and their bones mature, this reduces to 10 to 15 degrees. Furthermore, most children will not require extensive treatment or surgery to fix the misalignment because it usually corrects itself with time.
Causes of Femoral Anteversion in Children
Femoral anteversion in children is a frequent congenital abnormality when a fetus grows in the womb. However, the exact reason for this disorder is unknown.
It is thought that the baby’s position inside the uterus exerted too much strain on the hips, resulting in torsional misalignment.
Genetic factors can also cause femoral anteversion because it tends to run in families. Aside from that, this deformity can also occur due to a stressful occurrence.
Signs and Symptoms of Femoral Anteversion in Children
Femoral anteversion in children is a relatively modest disorder that rarely results in pain or other health issues. However, it may cause symptoms that alter a child’s walking style and limit their capacity to participate in various activities.
The following are common signs of femoral anteversion in children;
- Bowlegs
- Frequent tripping and falling
- Outstretched legs while running
- Unable to walk with legs straight and feet together
- Painful, hips, knees, or ankles.
These signs and symptoms are most common in kids between 2 and 4 years. While femoral anteversion rarely causes pain, it does cause children to have difficulty walking and running at this age. When a child is 5 to 6 years old, the deformity grows more evident, but it resolves by eight years. However, if the symptoms persist past this age, you should consult your child’s pediatrician for corrective measures.
Treatment of Femoral Anteversion
A doctor will examine your child’s stride and check for evidence of pigeon-toed walking during the physical examination. Your doctor may also order diagnostic procedures like x-rays and CT scans to obtain more comprehensive images of your child’s hip joint and thigh bone and better diagnose the malformation. There is no need for treatment if the degree of rotation is within normal limits. As previously stated, femoral anteversion in children usually resolves independently as they grow older. They are likely to walk normally by the time they are 8 to 10 years old. If the anteversion is severe enough to prevent walking or running, your child may require surgery.
If your child is experiencing persistent symptoms, know that the condition is curable; therefore, you should not panic.
