Factors affecting angular deformities of the knees in Nigerian children--Ilorin experience

44 children with angular knee deformities were studied at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital from September 1994 to December, 1997. There were 19 males (43.2%) and 25 females (56.8%). The commonest age range was 0-5 years age range (81.5%). Bilateral angular deformities are more common than unilateral angular deformities. Windswept deformities accounted for 16 cases(36.4%), bilateral Genu Varum accounted for 15 cases (34.0%), and unilateral Genu Valgum, 8 cases (18.2%). It was found in the study that 40 cases (90.9%) were from urban communities while 4 cases (9.1%) were from rural communities. The angular knee deformities affect both Christian and Moslem children alike; however, the environmental factor is the restriction of children indoors which is a serious factor in the causation of Nutritional Rickets. Angular deformities of the knee were far more common amongst urban dwellers than in children from rural area (Ratio 10:1) while involvement of both knees (88.6%) simultaneously is also more common than single knee involvement (11.4%). Some of the objectives of the investigation were to find out the implications of the angular deformities to parents and children; and ways to prevent occurrence were also discussed in this paper.