Femoral Anteversion

We took Emma to an Orthopedic specialist on Monday and he said that she has femoral anteversion (just like her mommy). He also stated that a study done at the University of Washington that found that 85% of the runners on the track team had this condition. Maybe Emma will run track like her mommy??? The only thing the doc said that she may have difficultly with is a side-to-side, or baseline movement (like with tennis, or basketball drills). The only time we really need to worry about it is if she is in pain or if her gait is serverly affected.

Here is some info on femoral anteversion:

What is femoral anteversion?
Femoral anteversion is an inward twisting of the thigh bone, also known as the femur (the bone that is located between the hip and the knee). Femoral anteversion causes the child's knees and feet to turn inward, or have what is also known as a "pigeon-toed" appearance. It is twice as likely to be seen in girls and most typically is detected when the child is four to six years old.

What causes femoral anteversion?
Femoral anteversion can be the result of stiff hip muscles due to the position of the baby in the uterus. It also has a tendency to run in families. Typically, a child's walking style looks like that of his/her parents.

When the child is first learning how to walk, femoral anteversion can create an intoeing appearance. As the knees and feet turn in, the legs look like they are bowed. The bowed leg stance actually helps the child achieve greater balance as they stand. Balance is not as steady when they try to stand and walk with their feet close together or with their feet turned out. This may cause them to trip and fall.

The twisting in of the thigh bone usually improves with time. As the child grows, normal walking patterns typically resume by 8 to 10 years of age.

Long-term outlook for a child with femoral anteversion:Femoral anteversion has a very good prognosis. Many cases correct themselves as the child grows. On rare occasions, femoral anteversion can be severe and surgery may be required to straighten the thigh bone.

It is important to know that femoral anteversion typically does not lead to arthritis or any other future health problems.