knock-knees
Definition
Noun (plural, treated as singular or plural): - A physical condition in which the knees angle inward and touch each other when a person stands with their ankles apart. This alignment causes the lower legs to bow outward, often resulting in a distinctive walking pattern.
Usage Examples
- (A medical condition where the knees touch when standing.)
- (The inward-turning knees affected physical activity.)
- (The condition may resolve naturally over time.)
Advanced Usage
"to correct knock-knees": to treat the condition through physical therapy, braces, or surgery.
- The orthopedist suggested a brace to correct the patient's knock-knees. (To treat the inward knee alignment.)
"severe knock-knees": a pronounced form of the condition that may cause pain or mobility issues.
- Severe knock-knees can lead to joint problems later in life. (A significant degree of inward knee angulation.)
Variants and Related Words
Knock-kneed (adjective): having knock-knees; describing a person or posture affected by this condition.
- The knock-kneed child walked with an unusual gait. (The child's knees touched when standing.)
Genu valgum (noun, medical term): the formal medical name for knock-knees.
- Genu valgum is often seen in toddlers and usually resolves by adolescence. (The clinical term for the condition.)
Synonyms
- Inward knee alignment: a descriptive phrase for the physical positioning.
- Valgus knee deformity: a medical synonym referring to the outward bowing of the lower legs.
Related Idioms
- "Knock-kneed stride": a way of walking characterized by inward-turning knees.
- His knock-kneed stride made him easy to spot in a crowd. (A distinctive, swaying walk due to the condition.)
Usage Notes
- The term "knock-knees" is always used in plural form, even when describing a single person's condition (e.g., "She has knock-knees," not "She has a knock-knee").
- It is primarily a descriptive or medical term and is not used metaphorically outside of physical descriptions.