Consequences of external rotation
The external rotation itself has no disease value. However, it can be a symptom of an underlying disease, such as epiphysiolysis capitis femoris. On the other hand, the external rotational gait in itself brings with it incorrect loading of the foot structures, which, if it persists for many years, can itself lead to diseases of the foot again.
An important example of this is the favoured development of a so-called hallux valgus as a result of the external rotation gait. In this case, the foot is characteristically rolled over the inner edge and thus a large part of the body weight is transferred to the big toe and no longer distributed evenly between all toes as intended. This incorrect loading can promote a crooked position of the big toe (hallux valgus). Another consequence after many years of external rotation and resulting incorrect loading of structures such as ligaments or wear and tear of cartilage is pain. These can occur in the foot, knee, but also in the hip or back.
Therapy
Children who have a slight external rotation gait without any complaints during the growth phase usually do not need any treatment, as the external rotation gait is usually corrected in further growth. However, if the external rotation gait is very pronounced, does not disappear by itself or even causes complaints, a therapy is inevitable to avoid consequential damages. The therapy is carried out depending on the underlying cause and ranges from conservative methods such as the application of orthopaedic insoles in the shoes or training of certain muscle groups to surgical treatment methods.
