Treatment for bow legs is different for children.
Bow legs in children usually resolve as a child grows.
This article discusses the challenges and benefits of exercise when you have bow legs.
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It also covers tips for how to exercise safely, and what other treatment options might be available.
Exercise is also an important part of maintaining your overall health.
Exercise can help you manage your weight, which can help prevent joint problems.
Being obese is an additional risk factor for knee osteoarthritis.
The medical term for bow legs is genu varum.
It is theopposite of knock knees (genu valgus), in which your knees bend inwards.
Stretches for Bow Legs
By taking care of yourkneesand exercising properly, you may even prevent problems.
For instance, stretching and strengthening your hips and legs will help keep your knees healthy.
Some exercises may also help straighten your legs, though they can’t completely correct the problem.
You may also need to improve yourproprioception, which is sensing your body’s movements.
Balance exercises can help improve your function in your daily activities and possibly help prevent falls.
They can help verify your exercises are safe for you to do.
Recommended Activities
Exercises that have a lower impact or no impact will better preserve your knee health.
They can limit the amount of force through your knee joints and prevent wear-and-tear problems.
If you have lower leg pain already, you may wish to find non-impact exercises to do.
They can suggest activities that are low-impact to help protect the knees and modify exercises to make them safer.
Physical therapists call this neuromuscular training, which helps improve body movements and stability.
While this will occur with common activities such aswalking, the stresses are magnified with high-impact exercises like running.
At the same time, the medial or inside part of your knees may be compressed.
Movement and Force
Genu varum may affect how your hips and ankles move, too.
You may face a slightly increased risk of problems in those joints while exercising.
What exercises are unsafe with bow legs?
This includes soccer, tennis, football, volleyball, basketball, and long-distance running.
A medical professional can help ensure that you are exercising properly if you have bow legs.
Your healthcare provider may recommend shoe inserts or knee support in addition to a modified exercise program.
This is a shoe insert specially crafted to correct the way you walk.
You may need a prescription orthotic.
Bow legs that persist into the toddler years may need treatment.
Corrective braces are more commonly used for children with bow legs who need intervention.
These include a modified knee-ankle-foot machine worn both day and night.
Braces are not generally used to correct bow legs in adults.
Some cases of bow legs in children are related to a vitamin deficiency calledrickets.
This condition can be treated by adding vitamin D and calcium to the child’s diet.
Some procedures involve both of these bones.
Most of the time, surgeons will not do an osteotomy simply to correct the appearance of bow legs.
Because bow legs can alter your knees' structure, it can affect how your legs move.
This can lead to an increased risk of knee, hip, and ankle issues.
You may also have more problems with balance and stability.
Exercise may help you to avoid some of these joint issues by strengthening and stretching your hips and legs.
Certain exercises may even be able to improve your legs' alignment.
Your doctor or physical therapist can give you advice about exercises that would be safe and effective for you.
In more severe cases, surgery may be required.
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