Windswept Legs
Windswept legs is the combination of bowed legs and knock knees; a knee on one leg tilts inward while the other bows outward. Windswept legs occur when the growth plates near the inside/outside of the knees slow down or stop making new bone, while the growth plate near the inside/outside of the other knee continues to grow normally, giving a “windswept” appearance to the legs.
There are many causes of windswept legs, but the most common cause is rickets, a condition where the bone does not form normally due to a lack of calcium, vitamin D, or phosphate.
If Not Treated
If Not Treated
If children do not receive treatment, severe deformity can arise, causing significant problems with walking. Over time, the abnormal forces across the joints can result in pain and early arthritis.
Children with disabilities often experience stigma and discrimination, leading to poor self-confidence and isolation.
Treatment
Treatment
The approach to treating windswept condition depends on the severity.
Guided Growth
In milder cases, surgeons place a small plate on the growth plate on one side of each knee, allowing the knee to grow gradually straight over six to 12 months.
It is minor surgery, and the child can start walking the day after the procedure. It is just giving the child’s body a little help to heal itself.
Osteotomy
In more severe cases or where guided growth is less suitable, a more extensive surgery called an osteotomy is necessary to adjust the leg’s orientation. Doctors start by removing a triangular piece of bone to straighten the leg. The osteotomy is then secured with a wire or plate that provides the stability needed while the bone heals.
Before
Children like Habiba rely on the support and generosity of people like you to receive surgery and comprehensive care offered at CURE hospitals.
We treat windswept deformities at CURE Children’s Hospitals in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Philippines, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
After
Children like Habiba rely on the support and generosity of people like you to receive surgery and comprehensive care offered at CURE hospitals.
We treat windswept deformities at CURE Children’s Hospitals in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Niger, Philippines, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
