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Research article

DOI: 10.5958/2319-5886.2015.00174.5
Open Access

TIBIAL TORSION; DOES IT DIFFER IN CHILDREN WITH CONGENITAL TALIPES

EQUINOVARUS (CTEV) COMPARED TO NORMAL ONES?
1

Amol Sanap , Tushar Chaudhari , Binoti Sheth , Dhruvilkumar Gandhi , Kaustubh Gate , Arun AA

ABSTRACT

ARTICLE INFO
th

Received: 6 Aug 2015

th
Revised: 20 Sep 2015
th
Accepted: 25 Sep 2015
1

Authors details: Assistant Professor,

2
Resident,
Department
of
Orthopaedics, Rural Medical College
and Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni,
Maharashtra, India
3
Professor,
Department
of
Orthopaedics,
Lokamanya
Tilak
Medical College, Sion, Mumbai,
Maharashtra, India
Corresponding author:
Tushar
Chaudhari
Resident,
Department
of
Orthopaedics, Rural Medical College
and Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni,
Maharashtra, India
Email: [email protected]
Keywords:
Congenital
equinovarus,
Tibial
Ultrasonography, Articular
Tibial planes

talipes
torsion,
surface,

Background: Congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) or clubfoot is one of

the commonest congenital orthopaedic conditions requiring intensive
treatment. A typical clubfoot consists of a deformed foot in equinus ,varus,
adduction. In some cases a cavus component is also there. Tibial torsion
is the angle between the transverse axes of the proximal and distal tibial
articular surfaces. Controversy exists concerning the presence or
absence of excessive medial or internal tibial torsion in CTEV. Materials
& Methods: A cross sectional study was done of thirty consenting
patients with CTEV and thirty children with injuries not involving the tibia
or fibula selected by convenience sampling attending the orthopaedic
clinic of a tertiary care hospital of Western Maharashtra . We measured
the angular difference between the proximal and distal posterior tibial
planes as defined by ultrasound scans thus minimising the error
introduced by the posterior shifting of lower end fibula in the fibular notch
after manipulative correction. The data was entered in excel and
appropriate statistic test was applied. Results: The mean external torsion
of the tibia in children with CTEV was 18 degrees (standard deviation
2.7), which was significantly less than the mean external torsion of tibia in
normal children (38.13 degrees; standard deviation 9.194) (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The children with CTEV have a relative tibial intorsion, as
compared to normal children.

INTRODUCTION
.
Congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) usually represents
congenital dysplasia of all musculoskeletal tissues distal to
knee. Incidence is 1-2 /1000 live births, more common in
Hawaiians and Caucasians compared to orientals, 50%
are bilateral, and male to female ratio is 2.5 : 1 .Most of
them are idiopathic but occasionally it may be associated
with other congenital malformations and syndromes such
[1,2]
as Arthrogryposis, myelomeningocoeletc . There have
been many methods for treatment of CTEV such as
Ponseti cast application method, External fixator
[3,4,5]
applications and various osteotomies
.Controversy
exists concerning the presence or absence of excessive
medial or internal tibial torsion. Many studies are
supporting the presence of tibial torsion in clubfoot. Many
of the observers have linked tibial torsion to recurrence of
[6,7]
deformity in treated clubfeet .The problem of whether
tibia has an abnormal torsion in clubfoot can only be
solved by measuring the relative alignment of its proximal
and distal articular surfaces ; this has not proved possible
in vivo . CT scans and ultrasonography have both been
used to produce images of the proximal and distal juxtaarticular surfaces of the tibia. These surfaces are thought
to relate closely to the plane of the nearby joint and can
therefore be used to measure tibial torsion. An
ultrasonography involves no ionising radiation and hence

can safely be used for this purpose. Different researchers

measure tibial torsion with different methods and reference
lines, resulting in a huge variation in the reported normal
[1,2,6,7,8]
ranges of tibialtorsion
. Each method has its own
advantages and disadvantages and no conventional
technique for routine assessment of tibial torsion has
[6,9]
gained wide acceptance yet
. The aim of the present
study was to measure tibial torsion with the help of
ultrasonography in children having CTEV and to compare
it with the tibial torsion in normal children measured
similarly.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study design: A analytical cross sectional study
Ethical approval: Approval of ethics committee of our
college was obtained. The informed consent form from the
parents was obtained.
Sample size: Thirty consenting patients with CTEV and
thirty patients with normal foot selected by convenience
sampling attending the Orthopaedic clinic of a tertiary care
hospital of Western Maharashtra over a period of 2 years
as per following inclusion criteria:
Inclusion criteria: Patients with diagnosis of CTEV under
12 years of age, patients with no history of fracture

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Tushar et al.,

Int J Med Res Health Sci. 2015;4(4):872-875

involving the study leg, patients with no history of any bony

surgery done over study leg, Patients who were able to cooperate for the examination e.g. ability to lie immobile for
the period of examination.
Exclusion criteria: Patients whose parents were not
consenting for the investigation, patients who were unable
to co-operate for the procedure, Patients above 12 years
of age, Patients in whom any bony procedure was done as
treatment, patients who sustained any fracture in the study
leg in the past.
Study procedure:
Ultrasound study: Ultrasonography was done by using
7.5 MHz probe of a real time ultrasound without any prior
[6,9]
preparation required of the patient
.
Scanning technique: The child was asked to lie in prone
position on a firm table with the leg supported motionless
by a seated assistant.
The 7.5 MHz probe of a real time ultrasound scanner was
maintained in a vertical position for proximal & distal
measurement. The angular difference between the
proximal & distal posterior tibial planes was determined by
scans immediately distal to the proximal tibial articular
surface & just proximal to the ankle. The articular surface
of tibia was seen as a prominent line on the screen. Once
the proximal tibial articular surface line was determined,
the image was saved. With the patient in same position,
the ultrasonography probe was moved to distal articular
level of tibia. The distal tibial articular margin was
determined similar way. Again the image was saved. All
ultrasound settings were maintained same throughout the
procedure. With both the images side by side , print was
taken. The angle between proximal and distal tibial
articular surface was calculated which was the tibial
torsion. (fig 1&2)

Statistical analysis: Mann Whitney test was used for data

analysis as the values of tibial torsion in normal as well as
in children with congenital talipes equinovarus were
showing skewed distribution.
RESULTS
Thirty patients with CTEV deformity were studied for tibial
torsion with the help of ultrasonography by the method
described earlier. All patients were of the age below twelve
years. Thirty more children with normal feet were studied
for tibial torsion with the help of ultrasonography as control
group.
In normal children the distal posterior tibial plane was
found to be externally rotated in relation to the proximal
posterior tibial plane. Combining readings from right and
left legs, the mean external torsion was 38.13 degrees(
standard deviation 9.194 degrees) . There was no
significant difference in the mean angle at different ages (
p< 0.05).
Children with CTEV had the mean external torsion of the
tibia in the affected leg or legs of 18 degrees (standard
deviation 2.7), which was significantly less than
38.13degrees; the mean angle of control legs ( p< 0.05 ).
We used Mann Whitney test to compare the results of the
study and control group. The p value came out to be less
than 0.05.
Thus we conclude that children with CTEV had less
external torsion in tibia, as compared to normal children.
Table 1: values of mean external rotation in study and
comparison groups

GROUP
Tibial Study
torsion
Comparison

Fig 1:
Determination
ultrasonography

of

proximal

tibial

plane

Meanexternal
torsion
in Mean Sum of
Rank Ranks
degrees

30

182.7

16.02 480.5

30

38.139.19

44.98 1349.5

Mann-Whitney U

15.500

p value

< 0.05*

by

Fig 2: Determination of distal tibial plane by ultrasonography

Fig 3 : Graphical presentation of the tibial torsion

values in study and comparison groups

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Tushar et al.,

Int J Med Res Health Sci. 2015;4(4):872-875

Fig 4:
Left half of image showing ultrasonographic
representation of proximal tibial plane with long black arrow
and right half showing the distal tibial plane with a short
black arrow.

DISCUSSION
Clubfoot deformity was first described by Hippocrates
around 300 B.C. Since then many people have done
research on clubfoot and its management. Descriptions
of pathological anatomy in clubfoot can be found in
some of the earliest orthopaedics writings and continue
to be essentially correct today, even as we have more
sophisticated methods of imaging to quantitate that
deformity.
Several authors have called attention to the internalrotation deformity within the long axis of the tibia, which
not infrequently accompanies congenital club-foot. Thus
every one interested in the treatment of club feet
recognizes this concomitant deformity, but opinion is
[10]
divided with regard to its correction. Campbell
in his
recent book stated that, with rare exception, the internalrotation deformity of the tibia may be disregarded from a
surgical viewpoint. In an endeavor to clarify his own
position, he reviewed a series of sixty-two consecutive
cases of congenital club feet that had been followed for
periods varying from two to five years, and the conclusion
was reached that not only does tibial torsion accompany
club-foot in a higher percentage of cases than was
formerly believed, but it also occurs in sufficient degree to
warrant surgical correction.
It was during the follow-up period on some cases of
bilateral club-foot that attention became focused upon
tibial torsion as a factor in recurrence of the deformity.
Previously it was noted that adduction was the chief
deformity recurring in those feet which relapse, and closer
observation has now- revealed that in over 90 percent of
these cases tibial torsion was present in the leg which
showed recurrence and absent in the others which had
maintained its correction.
Before the equinovarus deformity has been corrected it is
often difficult to determine whether internal rotation of the
tibia is present, or if present to what degree. However,
after the equinovarus has been corrected and the Child is
walking, it is easy to detect tibial torsion, since the child
invariably toes in on the affected side. A line dropped
from the anterior superior spine of the ilium, bisecting the
patella, will fall to the lateral border of the foot. Outside the
little toe, instead of between the great and second toes as
is normal. With the patella pointing straight forward,

palpation of the malleoli at the ankle will show the external

malleolus to be anterior to the medial malleolus instead of
parallel to it as is normal. Thus, when the child is walking,
the weight-bearing thrust falls obliquely across the long
axis of the foot and drives the navicular around to the
medial side of the head of the talus with recreation of the
adduction deformity of the forefoot. If this same vicious
force is allowed to continue, varus of the heel and
inversion of the foot will follow the adduction deformity.
These undesirable sequelae to correction of clubfoot can
be obviated if a rotation osteotomy of the tibia is done
when tibial torsion is present.
For that matter, we require a method to measure tibia l
torsion, which is simple, less time consuming, easily
available, with no health hazards to patients, and as
accurate as possible.
There are several publications on precise methods for
measuring tibial torsion.
The method described by Tohno at the 12th congress of
SICOT in 1973, using axial tomography, is perhaps the
most precise, but is also the most complicated, costly and
time consuming. On the other hand our method is simple,
cost effective, less time consuming and as precise as the
method described by Tohno.
Some of the simpler clinical methods as reported by
[11]
[12]
Dupuis in 1951 or Weissman in 1954 use the patella
as a point of reference, so that the resultant values
obtained are a combination of rotation at the knee and
torsion of the leg itself. Thus they are less accurate. The
[13]
X-ray measurement described by Rosen & Sandick
(1955) is relatively costly, with some radiation hazards and
time consuming as compared to the simpler clinical
methods and is no more precise. With the tropometer and
the caliper--the main practical difficulty was exact location
of the medial malleolus in severely deformed feet of small
children. This accounted for the difference in values as
reported by two observers. The caliper appeared,
however, to give more reproducible results. It is generally
agreed that clinical methods for measuring tibiofibular
torsion are subject to a wide range of inter-observer error
[14]
(Luchini and Stevens
1983). They all use the
bimalleolar plane as the distal line of reference ; the
malleoli are not easily defined, and the fibula is potentially
mobile within the fibular notch (Khermosh, Lior and
Weissman 1971).This is not a problem with our method as
we depend on articular margin of tibia which can be
[15]
objectively localized by ultrasonography. Joseph
et al
1987 reported the results of many of the previous studies
of tibiofibular torsion. Methods using a torsionometer
applied to the malleoli produced mean values in normal
children of less than 20 degrees (Wynne-Davies l964;
Turner and Smillie 1981). These results were confirmed by
Hutchins et al (1986) who used computerised tomography
(CT). Measurements of torsion in which the posterior tibial
surfaces are defined by CT scans or ultrasound, are more
accurate (Butler-Manuel, Guy and Heatley 1990).
Thus, in the normal child, the bimalleolar plane is
[16]
externally rotated. Hutchins
et al (1986) found that the
bimalleolar plane became more externally rotated during
growth, the torsion being only about 10 degrees in the
neonate, confirming reports of others who have used the
malleoli as the distal reference plane (Ritter, De Rosa and

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Int J Med Res Health Sci. 2015;4(4):872-875

Babcock 1976; Staheli et al 1985). According to Lloyd

[17]
Roberts et al.
(1974) and Swan et al (1969), the hind
foot and ankle mortise of incompletely corrected clubfeet
are laterally rotated on a tibia which itself has no rotational
deformity. Such a rotation is a complication of previous
treatment.
Our study shows that ultrasonography can be effectively
used to measure tibial torsion. It is safe, simple, quick and
very precise .Also ultrasonography is available at most of
the places.
Our results show that external torsion is diminished in the
affected legs of patients with CTEV.
The mean external torsion was 38.13degrees (standard
deviation 9.194 degrees), in children with CTEV compared
to 18 degrees (standard deviation 2.7) in normal children.
We found no limitation to our study.
As the values of tibial torsion in normal as well as in
children with CTEV were showing skewed distribution,
Mann Whitney test was applied for statistical analysis. The
difference found was statistically significant ( p< 0.05 )
.Thus children with CTEV have a relative internal tibial
torsion, despite treatment involving repeated dorsiflexion
and eversion. We believe such manipulation may be
responsible for the clinical observation of posterior
displacement of the distal fibula (Swann et al 1969).
Wynne-Davies (1964a) reported such displacement as
seen on lateral radiographs of the feet of patients with
CTEV. However, for such views the radiographer places
the plate parallel with the forefoot, and any residual
forefoot adduction may lead to an apparent posterior
displacement of the fibula (Simmons 1978).
If manipulation leads to fibular displacement it may also be
responsible for the late stiffness found in the feet of
children with CTEV. We hope in the future to define fibular
position at various stages during therapy using ultrasound
or CT scans in the transverse plane. External tibial
osteotomy seems only appropriate in these rare instances
of marked internal torsion which are not associated with
posterior fibular dislocation. One hesitates to draw a hard
and fast limit to the degree of deformity which requires
attention, since correction means an open operation on a
young child. Many of the surgeons feel, however, that no
tibial torsion of 15 degrees or more should be disregarded.
There is an advantage in derotating the tibia as soon as
the foot is corrected, because the child is already
accustomed to the plaster casts.
We look forward to find out the relation between the
abnormal tibial torsion and recurrence of deformity or
under correction of deformity in children with CTEV in our
future study so that these problems can be anticipated and
addressed early.

Acknowledgement: We acknowledge the co-operation

and support given to us in this endeavour by the
Department of Orthopaedics and Department of Radiology
Conflict of Interest: We had no conflicts of interest
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CONCLUSION
17.
Our results show that external torsion is diminished in the
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