NORMAL AXIAL ANGLES OF THE KNEE JOINT IN ADULT INDIGENOUS MALAWIANS

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine the normal axial angles of the knee joint in adult indigenous
Malawians.
Design: A retrospective study.
Setting: Radiographs were collected from the archives of the X-ray Department on subjects
investigated from Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre City.
Subjects: X-ray films of 271 adult black subjects aged 18-67 years were studied.
Main outcome measures: Normal axial angles of the knee joint using standard methods were
determined and compared with those reported for Caucasians previously studied.
Results: The mean femoral and mechanical angles of the femur and the knee joint were
greater in Malawian subjects than in Caucasians previously reported, but the tibial angle of
Malawians was less than those of Caucasians. The angle between the mechanical and
anatomical axes of the femur was 3° in Malawians, but 6° in Caucasians. Malawians, had
wider range of the mechanical angle of the Knee joint than Caucasians. These angles did not
show significant sex differences in Malawians (P>0.1;0.5, respectively) but significant
differences were observed in these angles between Malawians and Caucasians (P>0.001).
Conclusion: Our study has demonstrated comparative variations in means and ranges of
normal axial angles between Malawians and Caucasians previously reported. Thus as a
prerequisite for proper orthopaedic clinical practice in this part of the world, there is need
for reference values of these angles.