varus and valgus mnemonic?

[dfagod]

ok, I can't remember which is which. Anyone out there have an easy way to remember which is valgus, and which is varus?

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[trouta]

The only way I was finally able to remember it was to have a good explanation of the definition:

Valgus - the part of the body distal to the deformed part is deviated away from the body/midline

Varus - the part of the body distal to the deformed part is deviated toward the body/midline

 

[ddmo]

I just remember it in terms of the legs.

valGus: feet Go
vaRus: feet Return

 

[trudub]

Valgus in the legs I remember as the Left leg forms an L and valgus has an L in it.

Then varus falls into place.

 

[USFOptho]

I am VARy horny.

Think fat bastard walking in austin powers.

 

[jonb12997]

Think about sitting on a motorcycle and the position your legs will be in... a motorcycle says Varoooom. (Varus)

 

[humuhumu]

To make matters more confusing.... (from Stedman's)

Valgus
Bent or twisted outward away from the midline or body; modern accepted usage, particularly in orthopedics, erroneously transposes the meaning of varus to valgus, as in genu valgum (knock-knee). [Mod. L. turned outward, fr. L. bowlegged]

Varus
Bent or twisted inward toward the midline of the limb or body; modern accepted usage, particularly in orthopedics, erroneously transposes the meaning of valgus to varus, as in genu varum (bow-leg). [Mod. L. bent inward, fr. L. knock-kneed]

 

[Mike59]

valGUM = knees sticking together like "Gum"

varus = "the opposite", (bowlegged cowboy)

Hope that helps

 

[Carbon]

The German pig farmer had a pig run through his legs and out the gate, leaving him standing with his feet together, knees bent and apart, looking through his knees saying "VARUS my pig?"

Oh, the joys of my intro to patient care class.

 

[dfagod]

thanks guys

 

[humuhumu]

SDN rocks.

 

[Blade28]

Valgus in the legs I remember as the Left leg forms an L and valgus has an L in it.

Then varus falls into place.

That's the mnemonic I use.

 

[Antiviral22]

Here's my two cents ... I'm a former physical therapist that has seen plenty of varus and valgus hips and knees. I remember it this way:

VaLgus has the letter "L" in it, and the distal end of the valgus segement moves laterally away from midline (ie: genu valgus presents with touching knees and ankles the deviate laterally).

Varus doesn't have an "L" so it the distal end must move medially

 

[fpr85]

Don't forget when it's at the knees it's varum/valgum, for the calcaneus it's varus/valgus, correct?

 

[smartreader]

I usually think of the bow legged children with Rickets. Rickets and vaRus both share the letter R.

 

[HamOnWholeWheat]

This may seem like pure insanity, but if you're a history buff you'll remember that at the battle of the Teutoburg Forest (Year 9 AD), the Roman legions under the leadership of Quintilius Varus, who rode a horse (bowlegged) into battle, were anihilated by the German hordes.

Varus->bowlegged; that's honestly how I remembered it, and it actually came in handy on Step I.


Don't live like me,

HamOn

 

[Sweet Tea]

Valgum has gum sticking your knees together. Love it, and it actually proved useful on Step 1.

 

[Lorae]

Bowlegged from riding horses

Varus

.... as in "vhere is my horse"

 

[OsteopathMarine]

Rickets forms 2 D's (one turned and upside down and one a D) like someone with bowed legs and so does vaRus. (Rickets is caused by vit D Deficiency, is formed via the secondary ossification center (epiphyses) - 2 ends of the bone.

 

[AttackNME]

varus - r looks like a parenthesis ( ) which is the shape of varus deformities in general

 

[namethatsmell]

Valgus--> your knees move inward toward your "vulgar parts"

Keep it kinky.

 

[D elegans]

Why the 7 year bump?

 

[TallScrubs]

Here's my two cents ... I'm a former physical therapist that has seen plenty of varus and valgus hips and knees. I remember it this way:

VaLgus has the letter "L" in it, and the distal end of the valgus segement moves laterally away from midline (ie: genu valgus presents with touching knees and ankles the deviate laterally).

Varus doesn't have an "L" so it the distal end must move medially

I don't know why this was bumped but goddamn was this stupid. People are using some of the most stupidest (see what I did there) mnemonics ever.

Valgus has L; distal part moves Lateral

Boom.

 

[upright]

Varus = v"air"us

like the air blowing through the bowed legs

/endthread

 

[Functional]

ok, I can't remember which is which. Anyone out there have an easy way to remember which is valgus, and which is varus?

Valgus has the letter 'l' in it. 'l' -> lateral force.

 

[upright]

Valgus has the letter 'l' in it. 'l' -> lateral force.

ummm, i ended the thread bro.

 

[Morsetlis]

Here's my two cents ... I'm a former physical therapist that has seen plenty of varus and valgus hips and knees. I remember it this way:

VaLgus has the letter "L" in it, and the distal end of the valgus segement moves laterally away from midline (ie: genu valgus presents with touching knees and ankles the deviate laterally).

Varus doesn't have an "L" so it the distal end must move medially

That's the first thing I thought of.

vaLgus

 

[ftc68]

I appreciated the bump. The Rickets mnemonic was interesting. So was the kinky line. To each his own.

Calling responses 'the most stupidest' might've been an attempt at humor. I forgot to laugh. Rather, the sarcasm - or condescension - did help kill the thread, which is what you wanted. But that's too bad because other people's ideas and creativity where stemmed.

And if you feel like I'm calling you out: I am. Say what works best for you, but no need to put down others. We're on the same team.

 

[rodmichael82]

ok, I can't remember which is which. Anyone out there have an easy way to remember which is valgus, and which is varus?

valGus has a G in it for GO OUT.

Varus is just the opposite lol

 

[witzelsucht]

Lord Varys was walking bow legged for some time after he was cut.

 

[DocVapor]

Lord Varys was walking bow legged for some time after he was cut.

 

[Denatured]

ValGUM. Knees are stuck together with gum.

 

[Bancrofti]

I just think of straight legs as being normal. Lateral deviation of the bone distal to a joint increases the angle from normal, valgus has more letters than varus, so valgus is what is associated with lateral deviation. Medial deviation is therefore varus stress.

With most things though, it would probably just be best if you try to make something up yourself using your own logic, it sticks better.

 

[evilbooyaa]

I never really had one, but I like valGUM is knees gumming together.

Also, the vhere is my horse adaptations.

 

[Pipers]

Valgus - knees are Glued together.
Varus - "air" between the knees.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

Lord Varys was walking bow legged for some time after he was cut.

winrar.

 

[ChiDO]

Varus (like where is) my ass?

To look at your rear between your legs, u have to spread them..that's how I remembered as a student

 

[linebacker57]

Taught to me by a peds attending: "Girls in Paris sit in varus", has stuck with me ever since

 

[bambi]

I think of the r in varus
R = robin hood
Varus looks like a bow (as in bow and arrow)

 

[dochxn7]

Think K, L in the alphabets.
K for knock and L for valgus

Hope this helps.

 

[syma]

Varus - let the air through.

 

[colbgw02]

Think K, L in the alphabets.
K for knock and L for valgus

Hope this helps.

Another first-post random necrobump! Well, maybe not a necrobump because it's only 11 months old. Life-support bump, then. So, did you just learn this trick and had to share? SDN search function, FTW.

 

[SurgeDO]

vaLgus = puts stress on the Lateral meniscus

 

[tantacles]

Another first-post random necrobump! Well, maybe not a necrobump because it's only 11 months old. Life-support bump, then. So, did you just learn this trick and had to share? SDN search function, FTW.

Considering all the flack we give people for not using the search function, I'm finding all of the necrobumps lately to be quite pleasant.

 

[AnonymousD.O.]

ok, I can't remember which is which. Anyone out there have an easy way to remember which is valgus, and which is varus?

va"r"us "r"ight knee moves to the "r"ight...... so it's bowing out

 

[JJMrK]

This thread was started in 2005. I bet the OP has either figured it out by now, or doesn't need to know it anymore.

 

[AnonymousD.O.]

I'm guessing somebody searched for this and started responding to it.

 

[Priapism4tooLong]

think about it like this Varus is 5 letters long, if you subtract valgus which is 6 letters. you get -1 now add K which is 1 letter and you get 0. 0 is exactly the amount of ****s i give about this thread

 

[evilbooyaa]

What is the point of necrobumping a thread just to give an ANSWER? I'm more OK with people necrobumping to ask a question related to the original question, but why necrobump to give an answer to a question that was asked 8 years ago (especially one that's already been answered)?

I no understand.

 

[e30ftw]

holy **** i am absolutely amazed at the number of terrible mnemonics in this thread..