Genu Varum versus Genu Varus- which is which? 

🦵 Genu Varum= Bowlegged

  • Knees stay apart when ankles are together

  • “RUM” leaves a gap between the knees
    (Think: You could hold a bottle of rum between your knees)

🦵 Genu Valgum= Knock-knees

  • Knees come together, ankles stay apart

  • “GUM” sticks the knees together
    (Imagine the knees stuck together with gum)

✅ So to clarify:

  • Genu Varum = Bowlegs (knees wide apart)

  • Genu Valgum = Knock-knees (knees touch, ankles apart)

Bonus: Latin Clues

  • “Varus” = inward angulation of the distal segment

    • In Genu Varum, the tibia is angled inward → knees go outward

  • “Valgus” = outward angulation of the distal segment

    • In Genu Valgum, the tibia is angled outward → knees go inward

🧠 Mnemonic:

“VaLgum = Knees in ‘L’ove” (touching)

“VaRum = Knees aRe apart”