Overview
What are bowed legs?
A child has bow legs (genu varum) if they stand with their feet and ankles together, but their knees do not meet and instead there is a gap between them.
Cause
Many infants have bowed legs and if a child has just started walking, you will see that when they walk, their knees are not close together. This is a normal part of a child’s development and by the time a child turns two, their legs will be straighter.
Diagnosis
A physical assessment will be carried out to see if the gap in your child’s legs is within the normal range. This will measure the distance between their knees and this will constantly be reviewed as the child develops until either the gap has got smaller by itself, or your doctor decides that treatment may be required.
An X-ray may help to rule out any problems with bone development and a blood test may also check whether there is any underlying reason for the bow legs.
Treatment
As with knock knees, often a child with bow legs will see over time that the legs correct themselves. Check-ups at a clinic will help to monitor your child’s progress and to inform ongoing decisions about whether it is best to continue watching and waiting or to move to treatment.
Helpful resources
A patient's story
Ellis
"I wanted to thank you for not only your work on Ellis' elbow, but your positive attitude and swift treatment. Everything healed well and Ellis is now back at the gym and will start competing in CrossFit - I don't think he would be doing this without your help."
Ian, Dad to Ellis
