Bow Legs

Bow legs are a normal condition in children under 18 months old and are due to the positioning of the child in the womb. However, bow legs that persist in children after they begin to walk and put weight on their legs can be tied to a physical disorder such as improperly healed fractures, Blount’s disease (a defect in a growth plate within the upper leg), bone dysplasias and inherited rickets. In most cases, bowed legs do not require medical treatment and will resolve themselves by the age of three or four years old. When Blount’s disease is diagnosed, bracing may be all that is necessary if the disorder is in an early stage; if not, surgery is often required. Children with inherited Rickets may also require surgery. Surgical treatments include tibial osteotomy and guided growth procedures.