The axial alignment of the lower extremities of twenty-five normal male
volunteers whose mean age was thirty years was studied using a standardized
radiograph of the entire lower extremity. The extremities were found to be
in a mean of 1.5 degrees (right) and 1.1 degrees (left) of varus angulation
at the knee between the tibial and femoral mechanical axes. The transverse
axis of the knee lacked a mean of 3.0 degrees (right) and 2.6 degrees
(left) of being perpendicular to the mechanical axis of the tibia. The
anatomical axis of the femur did not pass through the center of the
knee.