title: Physical activity after distal femur osteotomy for the treatment of lateral compartment knee osteoarthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Distal femoral osteotomy (DFO) is the preferential treatment for the symptomatic osteoarthritis of the lateral compartment of the knee in young active patients. The objective of this study is to evaluate the physical activity and functional outcome of a group of patients presenting with lateral compartment osteoarthritis of the knee prior to and after a DFO for correction of genum valgum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six patients who had been submitted to complete V-shaped distal femoral osteotomy were evaluated after a mean follow-up period of 48 months by interview and questionnaire. Functional and physical activities were scored according to published rating systems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two (84.6 %) patients were very satisfied or satisfied (mean satisfaction 2) with the outcome of surgery and 88.5 % of the patients had normal work duties after surgery without limitation or decline in performance. The preoperative median level for physical activity according to the Tegner activity level was 3(2-7), while the median postoperative level was 3 (1-7) (n.s.) 57.7 % had resumed physical activities at preoperative levels: some patients had increased the number and type of exercises. According to Lysholm score, the mean preoperative score for physical performance was 53.1 ± 16.2 while the mean postoperative score had increased to 77.3 ± 16.7 (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on this study, distal femoral osteotomy allowed the resumption of physical activities for individuals with symptomatic osteoarthritis of the lateral compartment of the knee, resulting in improvements in clinical conditions and, consequently, in their daily working and recreational activities.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento do Aparelho Locomotor, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, luciohcj@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lúcio Honório
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Eduardo Frois
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Temponi
authors.forename: Luiz Fernando Machado
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Matheus Braga Jacques
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Lincoln Paiva
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016268:Internal Fixators; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011859:Radiography; D020127:Recovery of Function; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome