Patients Have a Wider Stance following High Tibial Osteotomy

Description

This presentation features Dr. Alison Kinghorn, an orthopedic surgeon and MD student from Cardiff University, discussing the implications of high tibial osteotomy (HTO) on changes in patient stance. Dr. Kinghorn begins by thanking her co-authors and the research team at the Biomechanics and Bioengineering Research Centre for their support in this study, which is part of a broader investigation into how HTO affects knee osteoarthritis.



Dr. Kinghorn explains HTO as a surgical procedure involving a cut in the tibia just below the knee to realign the weight-bearing axis of the limb, specifically addressing issues like varus malalignment and medial compartment osteoarthritis. She provides insights on how the procedure aims to restore normal alignment and load distribution in the knee.



The study involved 32 patients who underwent medial opening wedge osteotomy, with radiographs taken both pre-operatively and six weeks post-operatively to assess changes in stance width. Results showed a statistically significant increase in stance width post-surgery, with two-thirds of patients experiencing this change. Dr. Kinghorn highlights the variability in patient responses and suggests ongoing research to evaluate how these changes in static stance correlate with gait dynamics and their impact on knee loading. The presentation concludes with a Q&A session where Dr. Kinghorn addresses audience inquiries about patient awareness regarding the study's aims and the relationship between static and dynamic stance measurements.

DOI: 10.1302/3114-221055

Specialties