Why is my baby bow legged

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:. Health care providers do an exam and ask about the child's medical history. They probably won't do any tests if the child is younger than 2 years old, feels well, and both legs are bowed to the same degree. Instead, they'll watch to make sure the bow legs gets better as the child grows.

An X-ray might be needed to look for Blount disease or rickets. If rickets is suspected, blood tests can help make that diagnosis. Kids with physiologic bow legs don't need to limit their activities. They can run, walk, and be as active as other kids the same age.

Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. Bowlegs that do not straighten as your child begins to walk may be caused by more serious problems such as:. Bowlegs are usually easy to see, but most cases self-correct by age 3. If your child still shows any of the following symptoms after age 3, please see your pediatrician:. Your pediatrician can usually diagnose bowlegs just by examining your child.

Other tests your physician may recommend to diagnose bowlegs or an underlying condition include:. In those cases, we recommend these options:. Discover more about the treatments we offer. Invest in future cures for some of life's most devastating diseases. Give today to help more children grow up stronger. Get help. Create an account. Password recovery. FirstCry Parenting.

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