Why Alignment Matters in Knee Arthritis

In many people with knee arthritis the joint space wears more on one side than the other For example varus alignment or bow leg position places extra load on the inner compartment of the knee accelerating cartilage wear and pain on that side When this pattern occurs in younger or middle aged adults with damage mostly limited to one compartment correcting alignment can unload the diseased area shift weight to healthier cartilage and delay the need for joint replacement

What Is High Tibial Osteotomy

High tibial osteotomy is an operation that cuts the upper tibia and realigns it to change the way force passes through the knee For medial compartment osteoarthritis with varus alignment a valgus producing osteotomy opens or closes a wedge of bone to tilt the lower leg slightly outward moving the mechanical axis towards the lateral compartment This redistributes load away from the painful inner side reducing symptoms and slowing further wear Osteotomy can also be combined with treatment of ligament insufficiency or meniscus deficiency when these contribute to instability or overload

Ideal Candidates

The best candidates for valgus high tibial osteotomy are typically non smokers under about sixty years of age with a body mass index below thirty high activity levels mild to moderate medial osteoarthritis and preserved lateral compartment cartilage and meniscus They often have focal pain on the inner side varus alignment and relatively good range of motion without fixed flexion contracture People with severe tricompartamental arthritis marked stiffness or inflammatory arthropathy are usually better served by total knee replacement

Surgical Technique

Several techniques exist including opening wedge osteotomy where a controlled cut is made on the inner side of the tibia and gently opened to create a wedge that is filled with bone graft or spacer and stabilised with a plate and closing wedge osteotomy where a wedge of bone is removed from the outer side and the gap closed In all methods precise preoperative planning calculates how much correction is needed so that the postoperative weight bearing line passes through an optimal point across the knee Modern locking plates and intraoperative imaging help maintain correction during healing

Rehabilitation and Outcomes

After high tibial osteotomy patients use crutches and may initially restrict weight bearing while the bone heals With opening wedge techniques partial weight bearing progresses over several weeks while closing wedge methods may allow earlier loading depending on fixation strength Physiotherapy focuses on regaining extension and flexion strengthening quadriceps and hip muscles and training gait with the new alignment Studies report good pain relief and functional improvement in well selected patients with durable results over many years especially when combined with lifestyle modification and meniscus or cartilage procedures as needed

Why Choose Livasa Hospitals for Alignment Correction

Livasa Hospitals provide high tibial osteotomy and related alignment procedures as part of a joint preservation programme Surgeons use long leg radiographs and digital planning tools to calculate corrections accurately and discuss with patients how osteotomy compares with partial and total knee replacement in their particular case Integrated physiotherapy and follow up across the network mean that active individuals in Punjab can access advanced joint preserving solutions rather than facing early replacement alone

Livasa Hospitals Punjab Network Contact

Livasa Healthcare Group Network of Multi speciality Hospitals in Punjab
Corporate Office Phase 8 Industrial Area Sector 73 Punjab 160071 India