What is Knock Knees?
In the first 12 months of life, bowed legs are normal. The legs naturally bow outward and begin to straighten as the baby grows. By age 4, it is common to see the child become knock kneed, and then between ages 7-10, the legs again become straight. A family history of knock knees is common. In some cases, the knock knees are due to trauma to the growth areas in the knee, infections or, very rarely, arthritis. Most of the cases do not require any treatment.
What is the treatment for Knock Knees?
For most children the treatment is observation. You may want to take a picture of your child standing and, several months later, take another photo to compare the straightening process. Rmember, children with knock knees can effectively participate in sports.even if knock knees continue into adulthood, rarely would any serious complications occur.
Occasionally, bracing is used if the knock knees continue to progress. Only in rare cases is an operation needed to correct the legs. Surgery is done for cosmetic reasons, to prevent arthritis or improve the way the child walks.