Conditions / Hips / Adults

High Tibial Osteotomy

Osteotomy is when a normal bone is cut to change its direction so that the overall alignment/axis of the arm or leg changes.

The shin bone (Tibia) is commonly redirected so that it alters the axis of the entire leg. The change in axis of the lower limb alters the direction of forces travelling through our knee joint. This is a procedure commonly performed so that our knee wears out evenly and delays the onset of arthritis. This then delays the need for knee joint replacement until an older age. Joint replacements survive longer when performed on older patients (see hip and knee replacement).

An osteotomy is a major operation with a lengthy rehabilitation period. On the flip side it has very good results. Initially the patient requires a period of no weight bearing and crutches (6weeks). This is followed by a period of graduated weight bearing (6 weeks). It can take 3-4 months for the bone to heal and 6-9 months to make a full recovery.