Bowlegs is a condition in which the knees stay wide apart when a person stands with the feet and ankles together. In children under 18 months, it is considered normal.
Infants are born bowlegged because of their folded position in the uterus. The infant's bowed legs begin to straighten once the child starts to walk and the legs begin to bear weight (about 12 to 18 months old).
By around age 3, the child can usually stand with the ankles apart and the knees just touching. If the bowed legs are still present, the child is called bowlegged.
Bowlegs may be caused by illnesses such as:
A doctor can often diagnose bowlegs by simply looking at the child. The distance between the knees is measured while the child is lying on the back.
Blood tests may be needed to rule out rickets.
X-rays may be needed if:
No treatment is recommended for bowlegs unless the condition is extreme. The child should be seen by the health care provider at least every 6 months.
If the condition is severe or the child also has another disease, special shoes, braces, or casts can be tried. It is unclear how well these work.
At times, surgery is performed to correct the deformity in an adolescent with severe bowlegs.
In many cases the outcome is good, and there is usually no problem walking.
Bowlegs that does not go away and is not treated may lead to arthritis in the knees or hips over time.
Call your health care provider if your child shows persistent or worsening bowed legs after age 3.
There is no known way to prevent bowlegs, other than to avoid rickets. Make sure your child has normal exposure to sunlight and appropriate levels of vitamin D in the diet.
Genu varum
Canale ST. Osteochondrosis or epiphysitis and other miscellaneous affections. In: Canale ST, Beatty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2007:chap 29.
Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2012, A.D.A.M., Inc. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized in writing by ADAM Health Solutions.