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Children with bowlegs, when standing straight with toes pointed forward, have ankles that touch but knees that do not. Bowlegs is a condition involving the shin and thigh (tibia and femur) bones. During the first years of life, bowlegs are part of normal growth and development and are obvious by two months of age. Most infants' legs exhibit some degree of bowing until they have been walking for a few years. During this time, the legs may also appear "knock-kneed," with both knees pointing inward. This type of angular deformity is considered "physiologic" and usually resolves on its own by the time a child is four or five years old, although it may persist until age eight.
If a child remains bowlegged, however, bone malformation or an underlying bone disease may be present. The most commom of these is Blount's disease (tibia vara), an abnormal growth in the upper part of the shinbone (tibia) where bone growth occurs. As a result, the shinbone sharply curves out or bows, just below the knee. A child with Blount's disease is forced to walk with the affected knee flexed, which increases bowing of the leg. This can lead to severe knee joint problems.
Blount's disease occurs more frequently between the ages of 1 to 3, but also may appear during late childhood and adolescence (9 years or older). It is classified as infantile (1-3 years), juvenile (4-10 years) and adolescent (11 years of age or older) Female children, obese or short children, or children who walk at an early age are most often affected by this disorder.
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Bowlegs
