According to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the number of degenerative arthritis patients in South Korea in 2023 was approximately 4.33 million. Among them, the proportion of patients in their 20s to 40s exceeds 20%. Degenerative arthritis is closely linked to our lives. Director Lim Chang-moo, an expert in proximal tibial osteotomy at Newborn Orthopedic Clinic, was interviewed about the prevention and treatment of degenerative arthritis.

Bowed Legs, Even in Their 20s, Can Lead to Degenerative Arthritis... Preventable with Osteotomy

Degenerative arthritis is generally known as a disease that occurs with aging, but it is also found in individuals in their 20s. The most direct causes include damage and degeneration of knee joint cartilage, increased mechanical load on the joint, and inflammatory responses.

While degenerative arthritis can occur for various reasons, the best predictive method is to determine if one has bowed legs. The knee joint is where cartilage is located, connecting the calf and thigh. Those with bowed legs cannot evenly distribute body weight across the knee. Ideally, 50% of the load should be on the outer knee cartilage and 50% on the inner. In the case of bowed legs, 60% of the load is on the inner cartilage and 40% on the outer. This imbalance causes the inner cartilage, which bears more weight, to wear out faster, leading to arthritis.

Corrective surgery for bowed legs significantly reduces the likelihood of developing arthritis. It is medically proven that osteotomy helps prevent degenerative arthritis. Once degenerative arthritis occurs, individuals begin to worry about the pain, but concerns about bowed legs start in adolescence. They struggle to wear fashionable clothes and constantly try to hide their bent legs in photos throughout their lives.

Director Lim stated, "Proximal tibial osteotomy can be performed up to the age of 70, and patients who visit after developing arthritis often express regret for not having undergone the surgery earlier."

Correcting Both Legs in One Day... 9,500 Cases of Simultaneous Osteotomy

For simultaneous osteotomy on both bowed knees, surgical precision is crucial. Typically, one leg is operated on, followed by a recovery period of several months before operating on the other. Director Lim said, "I initially learned this method, but by using a pin I developed, I can now operate on both sides in one day." He added, "If both bowed legs are operated on separately, a recovery period of about a year is required, which is impractical for those with social obligations. Therefore, I developed a method to minimize the recovery period."

For patients without arthritis, it is now possible to return to daily activities without crutches and braces in 6 to 8 weeks. Director Lim stated, "After over 20 years of relentless effort, I can now freely perform simultaneous osteotomy on both sides, having conducted over 9,500 cases and receiving recognition for its effectiveness."

Degenerative arthritis is a chronic disease that medicine must address. However, it is true that there is no definitive treatment method yet. Director Lim stated, "The only advice doctors can offer is to endure until you undergo artificial joint surgery. However, it is fortunate that those aware of their bowed legs can prevent arthritis through corrective surgery."

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