Radiographic correlation between femorotibial mechanical axis deviation and early knee osteoarthritis in young and middle aged adults
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37910/RDP.2026.15.2.e459Keywords:
Artrosis de rodilla, Desviación del eje mecánico, Alineación femorotibial, Kellgren-LawrenceAbstract
Objective: To determine the relationship between mechanical axis deviation and early knee osteoarthritis according to the Kellgren-Lawrence scale (KL 1-2) in young and middle-aged adults. Methods: A descriptive, observational and retrospective study was conducted on 72 patients (144 knees). Analysis of weight-bearing long-leg radiographs (tele-radiographies) was performed to measure Mechanical Axis Deviation and the Mechanical Femorotibial Angle (mFT/HKA). Statistical analysis included Spearman's correlation, Chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression. Results: to measure Mechanical Axis Deviation correlated positively with osteoarthritis (ρ = 0,414), while mFT/HKA correlated negatively (ρ = -0,387). Varus alignment was linked to medial compartment damage; age and pain were significant predictors. Conclusion: Mechanical axis deviation, particularly varus, is a strong predictor of early knee osteoarthritis, highlighting the need to assess alignment in early diagnosis.
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