Understanding Your Child’s Bowlegs & Knock-Knees

It might be concerning for parents to notice strange trends in their children’s growth. Bowlegs and knock-knees are two common conditions which often develop concerns. When your child’s legs seem curved or their knees touch but their ankles do not, you may be concerned about their health and mobility. 

Understanding these medical conditions, their causes, and potential treatment choices may give confidence and help you ensure your child’s healthy growth and development. This article will explain what bowlegs and knock-knees are, what causes them, when to seek medical counsel, and how to manage them effectively, allowing you to navigate this stage of your child’s development confidently.

What Are Bow Legs?

Bowlegs, also known as “genu varum” is a condition in which a child’s legs curl outward at the knees but the feet and ankles remain together. When a youngster with bowlegs stands with their feet together and toes pointed straight ahead, there is a visible gap between their knees. The condition may develop in the thigh bone (femur), shinbone (tibia), or both. Bowlegs are common in newborns and toddlers, and they often correct themselves as the child grows.

What are knock-knees?

Knock-knees, also known as “genu valgum,” is a condition in which a child’s knees contact but their ankles remain apart while standing with feet pointing straight forward. Knock-knees, like bowlegs, can be caused by problems with either the thigh bone or the shinbone. Knock-knees are commonly observed in children between the ages of 2 and 7 and often resolve naturally as the child’s musculoskeletal system matures.

Physiologic Bowlegs and Knock-knees

Physiologic bowlegs and knock-knees are normal variations in a child’s limb development that do not interfere with their ability to crawl, walk, run, or play. Some children may walk with their toes pointing inward, fall more frequently, or look clumsier than their classmates. These issues are often temporary and will generally resolve themselves as the child grows. It is typical for parents to be concerned but reassurance and supervision by a pediatrician are generally sufficient.

Causes of Bowlegs and Knock-knees

Bowlegs and knock-knees are natural stages of limb growth in newborns and toddlers, and they normally correct themselves as the kid develops. However, in certain circumstances, they may be caused by more significant medical issues.

Bowlegs

Some possible causes of bowlegs can be:

1. Position in the uterus: Bowlegs can be created by the positioning of a baby’s legs during pregnancy.
2. Rickets: A metabolic condition in which a child’s bones weaken and develop bowlegs due to a lack of vitamin D. Rickets is more frequent in underdeveloped nations, because youngsters do not get enough vitamin D rich foods.
3. Blount’s Disease: A development disease characterized by aberrant shinbone growth in one or both legs, resulting in a severe curvature below the knee. Blount’s condition becomes worse with time.
4. Other conditions: Bowlegs can also be caused by trauma, fractures that heal incorrectly, or genetic bone growth abnormalities. 

In most children, bowlegs correct themselves by age 3 or 4, and legs usually straighten by age 7 or 8. However, if bowlegs persist after 24 months of age, are severe or much worse on one side, or other problems are present, an X-ray may be recommended for evaluation. 

Knock-knees

There are several reasons of knock knees in children, such as:

• Normal Development: When children first start walking, their knees might tilt inward to help them balance, particularly if their feet roll inward or outward. This posture normally corrects itself as the child’s legs straighten out around age 3 or adolescence.

Medical conditions

More significant conditions that can induce knock knees include:

• Genetic Conditions: Skeletal dysplasias or other health conditions that impact bone growth
• Metabolic Bone Disease: Rickets is a vitamin D or calcium deficit that can lead to bone development difficulties.
• Injuries: Injuries to the development zones of the shinbone or thighbone may cause one knee to lean inward.
• Other Conditions: Osteomyelitis (bone infection), malignancies in the leg bones, or being overweight can all contribute to knock knees. 

Diagnosis

A pediatric orthopedic surgeon can diagnose bowlegs and knock-knees in children using a physical examination and, in certain cases, X-rays. During the exam, the doctor will examine the child’s legs, knees, and ankles and may measure the distance between the ankles and knees. The doctor may also monitor the child while walking to evaluate bending and rotation.

Most children with physiologic bowlegs or knock-knees outgrow these disorders with no long-term consequences. Early detection and treatment of disorders such as rickets and Blount’s Disease are critical for avoiding lasting abnormalities and ensuring normal growth.

Prevention

Here are some preventative actions you may take:

1. Adequate Nutrition: Eating a well-balanced diet high in vitamin D, calcium, and phosphate will help avoid rickets and related limb abnormalities.
2. Regular Check-Ups: Routine pediatric checkups assist to monitor a child’s growth and development, allowing for early discovery and treatment of abnormalities.
3. Sun Exposure: Adequate sunshine exposure stimulates the body’s production of vitamin D, which is necessary for healthy bone formation.

Treatment of Bowlegs and Knock-knees

Bow legs in children often do not require treatment unless the issue is severe or there is an underlying condition. Physiologic bow legs often correct themselves as the child develops. However, if the legs do not straighten on their own or continue to bend after age 2, a doctor may suggest therapy. 

Treatment for bow legs varies depending on the cause and may include:

1. Every six months, a pediatrician can check on your child’s leg development.
2. If the cause is rickets, a vitamin D and calcium shortage, your doctor may prescribe supplements or increase your intake through diet.
3. Braces or splints can enable youngsters under the age of three with Blount disease or other critical diseases to straighten their legs.
4. Osteotomy surgery on the upper shinbone can correct lower limb alignment, but it’s only used for the most severe cases. 

In most situations, knock knees are safe and do not require treatment, and children will outgrow them on their own. If the condition persists after the age of seven, or if knock knees cause discomfort or trouble walking, therapy may be explored.

Braces can help bones develop in a right way, particularly in moderate instances. If the condition persists after the age of seven, a shoe-attached night brace may be recommended.

1. Physiotherapy Another option is to seek therapy from a foot expert (podiatrist).
2. Wall squats are a good exercise for knock-knees. Standing upright against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart, squat to no more than 90 degrees and hold for 5-10 seconds while maintaining your abdominal muscles clenched.
3. Weight loss helps since carrying extra weight can put strain on the legs and knees, which can worsen knock knees. 

Understanding bowlegs and knock-knees in children is critical for parents and caregivers. While lots of conditions frequently resolve on their own, understanding the symptoms, causes, and treatment choices can help ensure that children receive the care they require if necessary. Monitoring a child’s growth and eating a nutritious diet will help ensure that their legs develop normally, allowing them to grow well and participate fully in physical activities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does walking correct knock-knees?

Several studies suggest that exercise can help strengthen leg muscles and improve posture and balance in patients with knock-knees. This may also apply to young people with knock-knees, however there is not much evidence to suggest that exercise improves the condition in children.

Is bow-legged a vitamin deficiency?

Untreated vitamin D deficiency rickets causes the ends of the long bones to grow and the legs to bend or knock kneed. Muscles can become weak and the chest distorted as a result of the diaphragm’s strain on rickets-weakened ribs.

Is the bow leg permanent?

In most cases, bow legs will eventually straighten as the child develops. If bow legs do not go away by the age of three, there might be an underlying reason, such as infantile Blount’s disease or rickets.