A bow leg is when the leg bends outward at the knee when the foot and ankle touch. Babies and toddlers often have bows. Sometimes this applies to older children.

It is not serious and usually disappears without treatment around the age of 3-4 years. Below is a discussion about the symptoms, causes, and treatment of bow legs.

Bow Legs : Symptoms, Causes & Treatment


Signs & Symptoms of Bow Legs

A child's crooked leg does not cause any problems because the child does not feel any pain or has any difficulty walking due to it. But the child's parents are very worried about it.

There is no such sign of a crooked leg, it can be understood by ordinary sight. The child can walk on foot due to crooked legs.

What Reasons Bow Legs?

Bow legs can occur for a variety of reasons. Physiologic genu varum is the common reason for bow legs. When the fetus grew in the uterus, it was tight. Some bones in the fetus had to rotate inside the abdomen to fit into this narrow space.

With a physiologic genu varum, your baby is going through a normal developmental process. If your baby's feet are not right by the age of two years, then you must understand that there is a disease.

Growth disorder: Growth disorder (tibia vara) that causes problems with the growth of your child's tibia. This problem is more common in overweight children and children who learn to walk earlier. The disease is especially common in African-American children.

Lack of Vitamin D:  Lack of vitamin D causes the baby's bones to become soft and weak, which often results in the baby's bones becoming crooked. It is less common in the United States but still occurs in developing countries.

Achondroplasia:  It is a disease of bone growth. It is also known as dwarfism. Due to this disease, the baby's legs may be crooked.

Other Reasons: If there are any fractures in the baby's legs, if they are not healed properly, then the baby's legs can be crooked. Moreover, there is a disease called Bone Dysplasia due to which the bones grow abnormally and the baby's legs become crooked. Lead poisoning or fluoride is also responsible for bow legs.

Who Gets Crooked Legs?

Crooked leg is common among infants and young children. This situation is not very serious. Babies born with clubfoot usually recover around 18 months. Curvature legs also occur in older children. These conditions should be observed by a Specialist.

How are bow legs diagnosed?

When you take your child to a physiotherapist he will examine him and ask his age. If your child is less than 2 years old then the physiotherapist will not undergo any test. Rather, he'll want to see if your child's feet get better as he gets older.

If your child's feet do not improve within 2 years, the physiotherapist will measure your child's feet and monitor the condition of the foot and ankle bones with X-rays. If there is a problem with the bones, he can suggest wearing a bow leg corrector or referring to an orthopedic doctor.


How Are Bow Legs Treated in Infants?

A child's clubfoot or bow legs do not require treatment unless the condition is severe. If the child's feet are not fixed even after the age of 2 years, then the treatment should be arranged depending on the condition of the child's feet.

  • If your child's clubfoot is due to a vitamin D and calcium deficiency, your child's doctor may give your child vitamin D and calcium supplements. If the rickets are genetic, your child's doctor may refer them to a specialist.

If all treatments fail, surgery may be necessary to prevent further damage and correct the problem. Surgical options include:

Procedure 1: During this procedure, your child's surgeon will place a small metal plate in your child's leg. This temporarily stops growth on the healthy side of the bone, allowing the diseased side to grow. Your child's feet will naturally become straighter and the surgeon will remove the plate or brace once the fit has improved.

Procedure 2: During this procedure, your child's surgeon will cut the bone below the knee to correct the alignment. As the bone heals, it is held in place with a plate and frame placed inside the leg or placed on the outside of the leg.


Prevention of Bow Legs

There is no way to prevent bow legs. Your baby may be born with congenital clubbed feet. But if you include enough vitamin D and calcium in your baby's diet, you can prevent it in many cases.


How long can it take for the legs to straighten?

When your baby starts walking, his legs will slowly start to straighten. This process will begin within the age of the child from 11 months to 18 months. In most cases, no serious problems or side effects occur. However, if the problem is not resolved by the age of 2 years of the child, then a doctor should be consulted.


Outlook of Bowed Legs

The problem of bowed legs is usually fixed by the age of 2 years of the child. It doesn't make any difficulty for the child to walk, run, or participate in any casual activities.


Cleveland Clinic Statement

If your child has crooked legs, there is usually nothing to worry about. Most babies and young children recover from this condition without needing treatment. Your child's doctor will monitor his condition as he grows. If your child has not outgrown the disease by age two, your doctor will discuss with you about the treatment option. In most cases, children lead normal, healthy lives.


From the above discussion, we can say that Bow legs are a common physical condition in children. In most cases, it cannot be called a disease, because it gets better as the child grows older. But crooked feet caused by a serious or underlying illness often require treatment. Otherwise, It can lead to foot deformities, difficulty walking or running, and an increased risk of arthritis in adulthood.

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