9. Age specified conditions that cause
a limp
1-3 years
DDH
Child abuse
Neuromuscular disease
Leg length discrepancy
Infections
4-10 years
Transient synovitis
Perth's disease
Infections
leg length discrepancy
>10 years
SCFE
OVERUSE SYNDROME
all age groups
Trauma
Tumors
10. 8.5%
5.3% 2.8% 6.0%
77.4%
Transient
synovitis
SCFE
Infection
Perthes'
disease
Other
The Limping Child
11. Physical examination should started with
observation of the gait
*Gait is a repeated cycle of limb motion controlled by muscle
activity that carries the body forward
*The gait cycle is traditionally described as starting when one
heel strikes the ground and ending when it strikes the
ground again
*There is two phases of the gait cycle (60% stance phase and
40% swing phase)
*The progress of gait as following:
initial contact---loading response---mid stance---terminal
stance---preswing initial swing---mid swing---terminal
swing.
13. Prior to the heel strikerelaxation of the hamstrings ms &
contraction of quadriceps ms >>>>straightening of knee
joint>>>>contraction of the dorsiflexors of the ankle & foot
>>>>heel strike. which followed by flat foot ( loading
response)>>>>motion of the body forward over the foot
( mid stance )>>>> contraction of the calf ms >>>>planter
flexion( heel off)>>>>knee flexion >>>>toe off &
beginning of the swing phase by contraction of the iliopsoas
ms >>>> flexion of the hip>>>> knee flexion &
contraction of the ankle dorsiflexors ( acceleration or
preswing phase)>>>>midswing phase =midstance phase
of the other limb (moving of the body with ipsilateral limb
forward >>>>deceleration occur to start new heel strike
( by contraction of Q.ms & hamstring ms relaxation to make
the knee straight >>>> new heel strike
14. Other components of the gait:
1- pelvic tilt
during normal gait , the pelvis dropped at the side of swing limb by 5 degrees below the
horizontal plane
2- pelvic rotation
during swing phase the pelvis rotates anteriorley by 4 degrees & on the stance side the
pelvis rotates posteriorely by 4 degrees
3- lateral shift
during the stance phase the pelvis & trunk shifted laterally toward the stance limb by one
inch
N.B. Pelvic tilt ,pelvic rotation , lateral shift, knee flexion,, knee -ankle foot motion
>>>>minimize the shift of the gravity body centre in both vertical & horizontal axis's
4- width of the base
by the examiner behind the pt.= distance between both foot during double support= 2-4
inches
5- stride length
the distance between the heel strike of limb & the next heel strike of the same limb
6- step length
The distance between heel strike of one limb & heel strike of the other limb
15. PATHOLOGICAL GAIT
Child limp may be caused by pain, structural changes, weakness or a
combination of these.
Most of abnormalities occur at the stance phase.
For example:
1-antalgic gait (anti-pain)
in which the child limits the time spent on the painful leg in
stance phase
2-leg length discrepancy gait
the pt. can compensate by walking on tip-toe on the short side and
with slight hip and knee flexion on the long side
3-trendelenburg gait
is a painless limp in a pt. with weakened hip abductor
muscles
the pt. leans over the affected side. bilateral involvement causes waddling
gait
4-gait in cerebral palsy
there is brain lesion with secondary muscle contracture and compensatory
movements.
16. 5- foot slap gait:
due to weakness of the ankle & foot dorsiflexors=drop foot during the swing
phase
6- G. maximums gait:
during midstance >>>the ipsilateral hip must be maintained in extension or the
trunk falls forward .if there is weakness of the G.M >>the pt. push his trunk
posteriorly resulting in extension lurch or G.M. gait.
7- calceneal gait:
weakness of calf ms or flat foot( loss of planter flexion >>> loss of heel off)
8- hip hike gait:
pt. with stiff knee >>> may elevate the ipsilateral pelvis to hold the foot up. =
circumduction gait
9- wide based gait:
the width of the base is more than 4 inches ==( cerebellar lesion ) >>> loss of
coordination >>> execive shift of the gravity centre
19. Physical examination
Standing:
* back should be examined for scoliosis ,local tenderness, range of motion.
*if there is pelvic tilt is present , it can be measured by placing blocks under the
shorter leg until the pelvis in level (horizontal) .
*trendelenburg test
*skin dimples ,hairy patches over lumbar spine
Supine:
* each joint should be examined separately
*look for swelling, feel for tenderness, assess the ROM
*for hip flexion contracture --------Thomas test
*abdomen should always examined ------may be appendicitis
*neurological examination should be performed
*check for leg length discrepancy , the short leg must be differentiated from
apparent shortening that is caused by scoliosis or pelvic obliquity or joint
contracture.
Prone:
*hip rotation
* femoral anteversion
33. THE BLOOD SUPPLY OF FEMORAL HEAD:
The main sources of blood supply to the proximal femur
from
medial and lateral circumflex vs.each of which arise from
the profunda femoris artery.
Additional supply from:
superior gluteal artery
artery of ligamentum teres
36. Pathological changes in DDH :
* Acetabulum
shallowthe roof sloops too steeply
* Femoral head
dislocated superiorly and posteriordelayed ossific centre
* femoral neck
anteverted
* capsule
stretched
hourglass appearance by iliopsoas tendon
* limbus
superiorly the acetabular labrum and its capsular edge may be
pushed into the socket by the dislocated head , this fibrocartilage structure
may obstruct closed reduction
* ligamentum teres
elongated and hypertrophied which may obstruct the reduction
39. Imaging studies
* before age of 6 months diagnosis can be done by U/S
* plain x-ray is more helpful after age of 6 months ( appearance of
the ossific nucleus of the head
*Hilgenreiners line
*Perkinss line
Position of the femoral head in relation to this two lines
*Acetabular index
Is the angle between hilgenreiner line & the roof of the acetabulum,
it should be below 30 degree by the age of one year & below 25
degree by 2 years age
*Center edge angle
is the angle between the Perkins line & line pass through the edge
of the acetabulum & the center of the head . It becomes smaller as
the hip subluxated.
normally is 20 degree or greater.
42. Treatment of DDH At age of 0---6 ms:
pavlik harness
Age of 6---15 ms:
gentle closed reduction under G.A. & maintenance of a located position for
23 ms in a spica cast usually stabilize the joint , any residual dysplasia must treated by bracing or
surgery.
Age of 15---2yrs:
*open reduction
*femoral shortening osteotomy ;
may be needed at time of open reduction to reduce tension on the soft tissue & reduce the risk
of AVN of the femoral head .
*Capsulorrhaphy
* cast spica
Age above 2 yrs
Significant residual dysplasia is present so the surgical correction is needed to creates a stable mechanical
environment that permits remodeling to normal joint during growth
* femoral osteotomy
to correct the ant version and valgus deformity
to be done before age of 4 yrs to stimulate normal growth of the acetabulum
* pelvic osteotomy
to increase the femoral head covering needed by the acetabulum
examples
innominate osteotomypemberton acetabuloplastyDega osteotomy chiari
osteotomy (medial displacement osteotomy)
45. D.D. :
the most difficult and important differential
diagnosis is septic arthritis of the hip:
The clinical finding are similar but there is high
temperature in septic arthritis.
In a recent study , four independent parameters were
used to distinguish the two entities:
fever (more than 38.5).
CRP more than 20 mgL.
ESR greater than 40 mm/h.
serum white blood count more than 12000 cells.
non wt bearing.
49. Perth's disease:
Is a serious but limited pediatric hip disorder , more common in boys,
It affects age 410 years old.
Is generally unilateral.
Pathological changes:
initially , the AVN episodes are silent and asymptomatic ,as the bone of the proximal
femoral epiphysis dies, it is revascularized---osteoclast remove dead bone while
osteoblast simultaneously lay down new bone on a dead trabeculas ( during this phase
the femoral head is mechanically weak) which lead to fragmentation and collapse of the
bony structure causing flattening and deformity of the ossific nucleus and femoral head
. The newly formed bone has the shape of the collapsed head.
The symptomatic collapse phase rarely exceeds 1-1 遜 years but full revascularization
and remodeling may continue silently for several years.
C/P :
painless limp ,if pain is presents , it may be mild and referred to the thigh or knee.
atrophy of the thigh ms
limited ROM typically pt has a flexion contracture of 0-30 degree, loss of abduction
and loss of internal rotation of the hip.
50. Radiological study:
early by plain x-ray ------NAD
but can be diagnosed early by MRI
late by plain x-ray-----deformed head ( flattened fragmented )
Treatment :
no treatment for children less than 5 yrs old----with less than 遜 of the head
involvement (why ?)
most of the head is cartilaginous------and there is good time for remodeling.
Non-operative:
most experts agree that children who maintain excellent motion ( particularly
abduction greater than 30 degree in absence of flexion contracture ) may not
require intervention. (abduction bracing )
Operative :
varus femoral osteotomy
Salter osteotomy
52. TThhee LLiimmppiinngg CChhiilldd:: AAggee 1100 1144
SSCCFFEE
Risk factors:
Obesity, inflammatory (neglected septic arthritis), hypothyroidism,
hypopituitarism.
Clinical presentation:
Pain-limping discomfort in the hip , groin, medial thigh, is
accentuated by running , jumping . Antalgic gait , out toeing .
Preslipage: slight discomfort
Acute slip : sever paindeformity (external rotation, adduction)
limited ROM (internal rotation and abduction)
Acute on chronic: pain ,limp over several months which is suddenly
becomes very painful
Chronic : mild symptoms ,pain , limp, external rotation during walking,
mild to moderate shortening of the affected leg, atrophy of the thigh
muscles
55. Treatment :
*avoid moving or rotating the leg, the patient should not allow to walk .
*analgesia
*determine if it is acute (less than 3 weeks) or chronic (+ 3weeks)
*determine whether stable( able to weight bearing) or unstable (non-weight
bearing)
*determine the radiological type of the SCFE
***Surgical intervention
by immediate internal fixation using a single cannulated screw is the
treatment of choice .
***Femoral osteotomy is a secondary procedure to relocate the head within the
acetabulum to improve the ROM
***Bone graft epiphysiodesis
follow up :
non-weight bearing for at least 6-8 weeks then start physiotherapy
56. Child abuse
An important cause of limping or fracture in a child,particulary in those
younger than 2 years .
It is important to look for skin manifestations such as bruises , burns .
Metaphyseal corner fracture are typical of child abuse, as pull and twist
that create these fracture are rarely accidental.
Overuse syndrome
Children who have very recently undergone a significant growth spurt have
less joint flexibility and are more prone to injury :
Spondylolysis (common in female gymnasts)
Iliac apophysitis ( seen in adolescent runner)
Osgood- Sclutters disease ( the most common condition around the knee)
Severs disease ( it is characterized by pain at the calcaneal apophysis )