Bowlegs is the position of the legs where the ankles touch but the knees are not extended. All babies have bow legs at birth because the legs are folded over each other due to the lack of space in the womb.

 

As a rule, bow legs grow out in the first three years of life. If the bow legs have not straightened by the age of 4, you should see an orthopaedist.

 

Other causes for bow legs

 

Apart from the normal birth-related bow-leg position, a hereditary condition may be present if there is an increased incidence of malpositioned legs in the family.

 

Another cause can be Blount's disease, in which the shinbone becomes bent due to growth disorders. Blount's disease occurs in children who walk very early, are short in stature or are overweight. The disease can also occur due to extremely strong growth spurts in adolescence.

 

Rickets, a disease caused by vitamin D deficiency, can also be the cause of bow legs. The vitamin D deficiency softens the bones so that they bend.

 

Rather rarely, bowlegs are caused by a metabolic disorder, neurofibromatosis. Occasionally, a fracture in the bone growth zone also causes a deformity of the legs. In this case, the curvature usually grows itself out again after the fracture has healed.

 

How to treat bow legs

 

In the beginning, the leg position is corrected with splints. If splints are not successful, surgery is required. If the cause is Blount's disease, the position of the tibia almost always has to be corrected by surgery. In the case of rickets, high doses of vitamin D are administered.

 

If bow legs are not corrected, severe knee joint problems can occur later.

 

Alternative healing methods from naturopathy cannot cure bow legs, but they can considerably alleviate the discomfort.

 

Light therapy in the form of sunlight or UV irradiation stimulates the production of vitamin D. Of course, no sunburn should occur. 10 minutes of light irradiation three times a week is sufficient.

 

A physiotherapist can help with massage techniques and certain leg movements.

 

What parents should pay attention to

 

If a child has bow legs, he or she should not start walking too early so that the deformity does not become worse.

Nappies that are too thick also support the O-B setting when the baby makes its first attempts to walk.

Overweight children should be given a diet plan by their paediatrician.