Background: Osteoarthritis is a slowly progressive degenerative disease which can induce pain and functional impairment thereby disabling an individual. It needs prolonged treatment which is associated with high cost for individual and family

Purpose: To determine usefulness of high tibial osteotomy in low socioeconomic group with predominant unicompartmental osteoarthritis of knee.

Method: This is a prospective study of patients who attended the orthopaedic out patient department in Alluri Sitaramaraju Institute of Medical Sciences between September 2013 to November 2015. 20 patients belonging to poor socioeconomic status with predominant unicompatrmental osteoarthritisof knee were selected based on clinical examination and weight bearing xrays. These patients were followed up and functional outcomes were analysed and discussed.

Results: In the present study excellent results were seen in 12 cases(60%), good results in 3 cases (15%) , fair results in 5 cases(25%) and no poor results .The  results in the present study were disappointing with older age groups.

Conclusion: In a developing country like India, high tibial osteotomy is a valuable surgical option  where high demand activities are common particularly in the poor. This is even more appropriate for people with a rural life style. The financial burden also hinders the individual from undergoing an arthroplasty.In contrast, osteotomy provides an alternative that preserves the knee joint and, when appropriately performed, should not compromise later arthroplasty if it becomes necessary.