Coronal native limb alignment: establishing reporting standards and aligning measurements of key angles

Abstract

The main goal of a successful total knee arthroplasty is to relieve pain and restore function. While mechanical alignment provides excellent long-term implant survivorship, clinical and functional outcomes remain less than ideal. As a result, the focus has gradually shifted to a more personalized surgical approach based on the patient’s specific characteristics. There is a pressing need for agreement on definitions of key terms to standardize limb alignment measurements and improve understanding and communication within the field. This work aims to clarify the concept of native limb alignment, outline how it is measured, and propose a standardized terminology to describe it.