Varus
Pronunciation: VAIR-us
An anatomical alignment in which a body part is angulated or deviated toward the midline of the body, such as the inward bowing of the knees (genu varum).
Full Definition
Varus describes a malalignment or positional deviation in which the distal part of a limb segment points toward the body's midline. In orthotics, varus describes conditions such as genu varum (bow-legged knees), hindfoot varus, or forefoot varus, all of which inform device design, wedging, and posting. Editors must pay careful attention to distinguishing varus from valgus, as the two terms are direct antonyms and confusion between them in prescriptions or fabrication notes would constitute a clinically significant error. The terms are sometimes misremembered due to their phonetic similarity; a useful editorial check is that varus deviates inward (toward the midline), while valgus deviates outward. Both terms should always be accompanied by the specific anatomical segment to which they refer.
Usage
Usage note: Always specify the anatomical region (e.g., hindfoot varus, genu varum). Never use varus as a standalone descriptor without a referent segment.
In Context
- "The prescription specified a lateral wedge to correct the patient's forefoot varus and redistribute plantar pressures." — Orthotic prescription form
- "Proofreaders should flag any occurrence of 'varus' with a valgus description or vice versa, as the two terms are frequently transposed in dictated notes." — Proofreading guideline