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Unilateral outward-turning leg in infancy
Insights
A previously undocumented infant leg condition, characterized by external rotation, was observed in 100 children. This common, benign condition typically resolves on its own, presenting an excellent prognosis for affected infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Orthopedics
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- An unreported condition affecting infant legs was identified in over 130 children referred to a single hospital between 1973 and 1979.
- The study focused on 100 of these infants to characterize the condition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe an unrecognized condition of infant leg positioning.
- To determine the characteristics, potential causes, and prognosis of this condition.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 100 infant cases with the condition.
- Analysis of hip joint range of motion and radiographic findings.
- Review of obstetric records for 70 cases to explore potential etiological links.
Main Results:
- The condition involved one leg, typically the right, lying in external rotation.
- No loss or restriction of hip joint movement was observed, though rotational arcs often differed.
- Eleven children exhibited mild forefoot hooking on the unaffected side; hip radiographs were normal in all cases.
- No correlation was found between birth position and the affected limb side.
Conclusions:
- The infant leg condition appears to be a variant of normal development.
- Despite potential parental and physician anxiety, the condition has an excellent prognosis and resolves spontaneously in most cases.
Abstract:
An unreported condition of the legs in infants was found in more than 130 children referred to one hospital from 1973-1979. One hundred of these children were studied. One leg, usually the right, lay in external rotation. Although there was no loss or restriction of movement at the hip joints, in most cases there was a difference in the arc of rotation. Eleven children also had mild hooking of the forefoot on the unaffected side. Hip radiographs were normal in all cases. Obstetric records were reviewed in 70 cases, but no relation was found between presenting position at birth and side of the affected limb. The condition resolved spontaneously in most of the children who were follow up. This condition may cause anxiety to parents and doctors but it seems to be a variant of normal with an excellent prognosis.