What Causes Bow Legs
As previously stated, most new born children have bow legs, this is caused by how they are positioned within the mothers womb. This form of bow legs should resolve itself by the time the child is around three.
If youre adult then it could be the result of an injury, that didnt heal correctly, which has caused this condition or it could be an underlying health condition such as rickets, a vitamin D deficiency. Below are the top causes of bow legs:
When To Seek Medical Care
What Causes Knee Valgus
a) Functional cause
Tight and/or weak muscles in the leg can result in the Knee valgus appearance.
I have listed all of the knee valgus exercises in the sections below to address this issue.
b)Structural cause
Physical changes to the bone and/or joints can result in Knee Valgus.
This may be related to:
- Genetic factors
Note: The following exercises are designed to show you how to fix knock knee in the standing position. If your knees tend to collapse inwards when your knees are bent, you will need do the exercises in the specific position and at the load in which your knee starts to collapse inwards.
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Symptoms Of Knee Valgus
The most obvious symptom of knee valgus is a knock-kneed appearance of the legs. Most adults with mild cases of valgus will not experience any pain or discomfort.
A simple way to test for a valgus misalignment is to stand with your legs together and note whether your knees and ankles are touching.
If your knees are touching but there is a gap of at least 2 inches between your ankles, you most likely have knee valgus.
If left untreated, however, valgus may progress and cause symptoms such as:
- An altered gait
- Knee pain
- Low back pain
There arent too many side effects of having a mild case of knee valgus, however, if you do have knee valgus it is something you will want to correct it rather than ignore.
If left untreated, severe and longstanding cases of knee valgus can lead to meniscus tears, joint damage, and osteoarthritis .
Furthermore, correcting knee valgus can improve your movement, and as we will see later, your overall posture.
How To Fix Knock Knees In Children
Our main goals in treating this condition are to align your limbs normally, stop the progression of knock knees, and reduce the risk of degeneration in your joints. Children may present with knock knees in their toddler years, but they often grow out of the condition with time. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. In pediatric cases where the child has irregular X-rays or blood test results, we will recommend special treatment.
If the inverted knees are the result of nutritional deficiencies, we often recommend supplements or replacements to correct the problem. When this proves unsuccessful in straightening the legs, we may discuss surgical correction. In children who are still growing, we perform minimally invasive surgeries which correct the growth of the legs. Over a period of 6 to 18 months, the growth of the legs is corrected with the help of staples, plates, or screws along the growth plates. Most times, we recommend minimal physical therapy at our Frisco and Dallas locations after surgery.
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What Were The Results
After analyzing the results, the researcher found no difference in gluteal activation between the control and valgus group. However, the valgus group had a 34% greater increase in adductor activity than the control group. Additionally, no differences in EMG activity were seen in the hip muscles with and without the heel lift.
Upon further analysis, the researchers discovered the valgus group displayed greater EMG activity of the tibialis anterior compared to the control group with and without the heel lift. Additionally, EMG activity in the valgus group when using the heel lift was less when not using it compared to the control group. Furthermore, the researchers found that medial and lateral gastrocnemius activity was greater in the valgus group compared to control in the descending phase of the squat without the heel lift. They also noted that medial and lateral gastrocnemius activity was greater in the valgus group with the heel lift than without it. This was not noted in the control group.
As we delve deeper into the study the results showed that the valgus group displayed greater knee valgus without a heel lift compared to the control group. With the addition of a heel lift to the valgus group, medial displacement of the knee was less. In the control group, there was no effect on frontal knee displacement when using the heel lift.
Are Knocked Knees A Problem
Tid Bits of Info
- Genu valgum is the same as knocked knees.
- Severe genu valgum or knocked knees can lead to osteoarthritis of the lateral side of the joint.
- Severe genu valgum can be surgically corrected by performing a surgical procedure known as an osteotomy.
- Knocked knees posture can lead to over-use ankle injuries.
- Seek treatment from a Physical Therapist if you have knocked knees and you want to live an active lifestyle.
Most of us are familiar with the term knocked knees and have even used it to describe the shape of knees that move inward and touch. Knocked knees simply means abnormal knee alignment when two knees are touching each other in a v shape. Some children grow out of knocked knees as they age, but adults can also exhibit this condition. What causes knocked knees? Do they pose a risk for injuries? Can you change this condition?
When treating knee valgus, healthcare professionals seek to assess the movement in the same side hip by looking at the amount of valgus that occurs as someone plants their foot on the ipsilateral knee. The amount of movement, which has been coined pelvic pronation by some researchers, can help to determine if that person is more susceptible to a lower extremity injury.
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Exercise For Knock Knees In Yoga
Believe it or not, there are a number of yoga pose variations you can use to strengthen weak muscles and stretch out tight muscles that could be responsible for your knees knocking.
When it comes to yoga for knock knees one of the best poses you can begin practicing is the Warrior 2 pose.
This yoga exercise helps fix your knock knees by stretching tight adductors, and strengthening weak glutes and external rotators that could be the reason your knee collapses inward.
All of these muscle groups the Warrior 2 pose targets can play a role in you being knock kneed.
To do the Warrior II pose do the following:
For a great demonstration on how to properly perform this Warrior II pose check out this video below:
How To Fix Knock Knees Or Genu Valgum
As knock knees also occur naturally in growing children, observation during early years is suggested. If Knocked Knee or Genu Valgum persists and does not correct itself, certain treatment modalities and corrective measures may be suggested.
Knock knees may be corrected by treating the underlying cause. Nutritional disorders, joint conditions or other medical problems, if any, need to be treated appropriately. Supplementation of Vitamin D, vitamin C and other vitamins and minerals is considered.
Knock Knee Braces Special shoes, night braces or orthoses may be advised to support proper angulation of knees and ankles. Braces help in maintaining the angle of the knees and prevent knocking thus promoting proper growth and posture when walking or running.
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What Is Knee Valgus
Knee valgus is a condition where the legs curve inward toward the middle of the body. They shift inward at the knee, causing both knees to touch, even when the feet are far apart.
Knock knees are the opposite of bowlegs . With bowlegs, the legs bend outward at the knee so that the knees dont touch .
What Can Cause Knock Knees Or Genu Valgum
Knock knees are normal in young children but if the problem persists or appears later in life, there may be an underlying medical cause.
Some of the causes that can contribute to knock knees include
- Medical conditions resulting from nutritional deficiencies like rickets, osteomalacia or scurvy can affect the formation of bones and cause knocking of knees.2
- Bone infection like osteomyelitis can causes deformity of knees.
- Injury to the shin bone, which is responsible for growth, can cause knock knee. This may be present only in only one leg.
- Certain rare genetic conditions may be a cause of such bony deformities.
- Adults may show knock knees or genu valgum due to a previous injury or a joint condition like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
- Obesity can lead to gait changes, which can make it appear like knocked knees.
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A Improving Dorsiflexion Of The Ankle
Having full range of motion in your ankle is essential in any form of leg movement.
Without proper movement, the ankle will likely over pronate , and thus can cause the knees to cave inwards.
How much ankle flexibility should you aim for?
At bare minimum Aim to get your toe a fist width from the wall with your knee still in contact with the wall.
a) Release the Calf muscle
Instructions:
- Place your calf muscle on top of a foam roller/ball.
- Put your other leg on top and apply pressure down towards the foam roller.
- Roll your leg from side to side.
- Make sure you cover the whole muscle
- Do this for 1-2 minutes each side.
b) Stretch the Calf muscle
Instructions:
- Place the top of your foot against a wall.
- Keep your heel planted on the floor.
- Learn forward into your ankle.
- Aim to feel a deep stretch sensation at the back of the calf.
- Hold for 1-2 minutes.
Instructions:
- Assume a lunge position with your hands on a wall for support.
- Using your body weight, proceed to plunge forward as to place pressure on the front ankle.
- Keep the heels of your front leg in contact with the floor throughout movement.
- Make sure that your knees do not collapse inwards.
- Do not let your foot arch collapse.
- Repeat 30 times.
The Bottom Line On Knock Knees
Based on the above research a person with an extremely flat foot may be more predisposed to excessive knee valgus due to the greater degree of pronation that usually occurs with this anatomical dysfunction.
References:
Padua, D. A., Bell, D. R., & Clark, M. A. . Neuromuscular characteristics of individuals displaying excessive medial knee displacement. Journal of athletic training, 47, 525-536.
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Why Are Knock Knees Bad
Bone diseases resulting from poor mineralisation, such as rickets, may present through large knee angles during childhood. When pathological knock knees are seen in combination with short stature and other bone and joint misalignment, a skeletal dysplasia or metabolic bone disorder may be the cause.
What Causes Knock Knees
Knock knees are fairly common in healthy children under the ages of 6 or 7, and are just a normal part of growth and development.
The legs will usually gradually straighten as the child grows, although mild knock knees can last into adulthood.
Knock knees that develop later in childhood or don’t improve with age can sometimes be associated with an underlying problem, such as:
- rickets problems with bone development resulting from a lack of vitamin D and calcium
- excessive pressure on the knees for example, as a result of obesity or loose knee ligaments
- an injury or infection affecting the knees or leg bones
- genetic conditions affecting the development of the bones or joints
Adults can sometimes develop knock knees. These cases are often associated with joint problems such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
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How Is Knock Knee Treated
For mild cases of knock knee in children or adolescents, bracing may reposition the knees. When this does not work, or if the patient is an adult at the time of diagnosis, a knee-realignment osteotomy is done to prevent or delay the need for .
If knock knee is caused by an underlying disease or infection, that condition will be addressed before any orthopedic correction begins. Treatment for mild cases of knock knee in children or adolescents may include braces to help bones grow in the correct position.
If a gradual correction does not occur, surgery may be recommended. In the growing child, guided-growth minimal-incision surgery may be used to encourage the leg to gradually grow straight.
Who Is An Ideal Candidate For A Knee Osteotomy Surgery
If you are younger than 60 years old or your osteoarthritis is limited to only one compartment of your knee, an osteotomy might be beneficial for you.
Good candidates for this surgery must fit the following criteria:
- Significant pain and disability
- Able to fully straighten the knee and bend it at least 90 degrees
- X-rays showing the involvement of only one side of the knee joint
- A body mass index lower than 30
- The ability to participate in physical therapy and rehabilitationrehabilitation after this surgery is lengthy and difficult
You might find lasting relief with an osteotomy, but most people will have a knee osteotomy as a means to delay eventual knee replacement surgery. An osteotomy around the knee is expected to be effective for up to ten years, after which another procedureusually a knee replacementmight be necessary.
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Knee Valgus: How To Fix Knock Knees
Have you ever noticed that your knees bend inward?
Youre not alone.
Knee valgus, knock knees, or genu valgum all indicate the same thing: when someones knees bend inward toward the middle of the body.
For many people, especially young children, knee valgus isnt a huge cause for concern. However, if you or someone you know has knock knees, then its essential that you have the information needed to decide if treatment is right for you.
Contents
Treatments For Knock Knees
In most cases, knock knees don’t need to be treated because the problem tends to correct itself as a child grows.
Your child doesn’t need to avoid physical activity, wear supportive leg braces or shoes, or do any special exercises.
Mild knock knees that persist into adulthood don’t need to be treated unless they’re causing problems, such as knee pain.
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Are Knock Knees Normal
Temporarily knocked knees are part of a standard developmental growth stage for most children. This usually corrects itself as the child grows. Knock knees that persist beyond six years of age, are severe or affect one leg significantly more than the other may be a sign of knock-knee syndrome.
Most children experience in their legs as they grow. Children are typically until they begin walking at around 12 to 18 months. By about 2 to 3 years of age, their legs have usually begun to angle inward, making them knock-kneed. During normal growth phases, the child’s legs will straighten out by age 7 to 8.
Knock knees that remain outside of these normal developmental growth patterns may be caused by disease, infection or other conditions. If the angle of the legs from hip to foot falls outside normal patterns, worsens over time, or is present on only one side of the body, this suggests a person has a more serious form of knock knees, and further evaluation by an orthopedic specialist may be necessary. Surgery may be needed to treat the condition.
X-rays: preoperative image showing knock knee. postoperative image showing leg alignment after surgical correction and removal of metal plates.