The impacts on the locomotor system triggered by the coxa valga and coxa vara pathologies: an integrative review

Abstract

The coxa valga and coxa vara are considered morphological alterations determined by a change in the colodiaphyseal angle, which is the angulation between the femoral neck and the femoral shaft. In a normal adult individual, this angle varies between 120° and 135°, however, when there is an angle smaller than 120°, it is called “coxa vara”, and in the case of an angulation, greater than 135°, it is called “coxa valga”. And these changes can generate impacts to the locomotor system that affect the quality of life of individuals with these deformities. Therefore, this study aims to highlight the main functional impairments of the skeletal, muscular and joint systems caused by coxa valga and coxa vara. Articles were collected in the MEDLINE and BVS databases, with the descriptors (“coxa valga” OR “coxa vara”), during the month of September 2022. Subsequently, the selected material was carefully analyzed in order to gather the most relevant information on the topic proposed. Eleven articles were included in the review, with the main results found in the articles placed in a prism flowchart as a form of summary. Therefore, through this review, there are numerous unfavorable consequences for the locomotor system that the presence of coxa valga and coxa vara entail for the lives of affected individuals.