What are Bow Legs, its Symptoms, Causes and Treatment?

What are bow legs?

Bow legs (or genu varum) are when, while the feet and ankles are touching, the legs curl outward at the knees. Children often have bow legs. Older kids do, too, sometimes.

It is rarely extreme and typically goes away without medication, often when a child is 3-4 years of age.

Bow legs (Genu varum)

Signs and Symptoms

Bow legs usually don't affect little kids because they're not causing pain or discomfort. The appearance of the legs of your child or an uncomfortable pattern may concern parents. But bow legs do not control the ability of a child to crawl, walk or run.

Children with bow legs will often walk with their toes pointing inside or they can move a lot and seem clumsy. In general, these issues resolve with the child growing up.

If it lasts for years of adolescence, ankles, knees or hips can become discomforted.

Causes of bow legs

If babies are born with bow legs, that is because when they were developing in the womb, some of the bones had to rotate (twist) slightly to fit into the limited room. This is called the legs of the physiologic bow. It's considered a natural component of the growth and development of an infant.

The bowing might increase a bit as a child begins to walk, and then get better. There is more apparent bowing among children who start walking at a younger age.

The outward curving of the legs is corrected on its own in most children by age 3 or 4. The legs (knock-knees) might also look bent inwards. Typically, the legs straighten by the age of 7 or 8.

Rarely, a more serious medical condition can lead to a bow leg, for example:

1. Vitamin D or calcium deficiency in bone formation, rickets. More generally, children in developing countries do not get enough vitamin D-filled food. Rickets can also occur in families due to a genetic problem affecting the body's use of vitamin D.
2. Development disorder affecting the bones of the leg, Blount disease.
3. Conditions, such as fracture, disease, or tumour, that can affect the development of bone around the knee.

Diagnosis of bow legs

Any children will need to see a specialist in orthopaedics if:

1. The legs don't straighten themselves.
2. The arch (begins are bent to varying degrees) are asymmetrical.
3. Your child has pain, frowning, fatigue or running difficulties.
4. A Blount disease or rickets may be needed to look with an X-ray. Blood testing will help make the diagnosis if rickets is suspected.

Treatment

1. No therapy is needed for physiologic bow legs. Normally, the infant develops and it corrects itself.
2. A kid may need a brace or an operation for Blount disease.
3. In general, vitamin D and calcium are added to a diet to treat Rickets. Genetic rickets can require more advanced endocrinological treatment.