Bow legged why

It leads to softening and weakening of the bones, and may cause bowlegs or knock-knees. While conservative treatments are most often recommended, bracing or surgery may be required, based on disorder severity. Blount's Disease is a disorder caused by an abnormal growth plate in the upper tibia. While the cause of Blount's disease is unknown, it can affect both toddlers and teenagers. Treatment of Blount's disease depends on the severity of the deformity and the age of the child, and may involve observation, bracing or surgery.

With 7 fellowship trained pediatric surgeons, the Children's Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates team provides the highest level of comprehensive care to patients in the Tampa area, including St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Brandon, Florida. The Children's Orthopaedic and Scoliosis Surgery Associates specialize in providing state-of-the-art comprehensive care, both surgical and non-surgical, to patients suffering from congenital orthopaedic anomalies , such as bowlegs and knock knees.

To learn more about bowlegs and knock-knees, please schedule an appointment at one of our Tampa-St. Petersburg locations. What is bowlegs? Bowlegs in infants: Bowleggedness often occurs between birth and 24 months.

As children grow, their legs continue to straighten out. Stages of development What are the symptoms of bowlegs? Some metabolic disorders, such as rickets , can also cause bowlegs. Rickets occurs when a child does not get enough vitamin D in their diet. Rickets is a condition resulting from prolonged vitamin D deficiency. This softens and weakens the bones, causing the legs to bow. This metabolic disease negatively affects the way your bones break down and rebuild. Over time, this can lead to bowlegs and other joint problems.

The most common form of dwarfism is caused by a condition known as achondroplasia. This is a bone growth disorder that can result in bowlegs over time.

This is a very recognizable condition. Bowlegs look symmetrical. In children, most bowleg cases start to improve when a child is 12 to 18 months old. They may order an X-ray or other imaging tests to view any bone abnormalities in your legs and knees. Treatment may be recommended if your case of bowlegs is extreme or getting worse, or if an accompanying condition is diagnosed.

Treatment options include:. There is no known prevention for bowlegs. In some cases, you may be able to prevent certain conditions that cause bowlegs. If the condition lasts into teenage years, it may cause discomfort in the ankles, knees, or hips.

When babies are born with bow legs it's because some of the bones had to rotate twist slightly when they were growing in the womb to fit into the small space.

This is called physiologic bow legs. It's considered a normal part of a child's growth and development. As a child starts walking, the bowing might increase a bit and then get better. Children who start walking at a younger age have more noticeable bowing. In most kids, the outward curving of the legs corrects on its own by age 3 or 4.

The legs might even look curved inward knock-knees. The legs usually straighten by age 7 or 8. Bow legs in older children usually is because of Blount disease or another medical condition. Blount disease is more common in kids who:.