The condition can be treated with a brace that runs from the foot to the pelvis on one or both legs. If the brace fails to correct the problem, or if the child is not treated until the age of four, surgery may be necessary. In rare cases, bow legs occur because of rickets, a Vitamin D deficiency that causes abnormal bone development. The condition is usually treated with nutritional supplements. This occurs as a normal developmental progression.
Many youngsters outgrow knock-knees by age six.
However, if the condition is severe or worsens, parents should seek the advice of a pediatric orthopaedist. The physician may use x-rays or blood tests to determine the cause of the problem. Long-leg braces or surgery may be necessary to correct the condition which, if untreated, could cause early arthritis. While parents should not be concerned about gait abnormalities that gradually improve over the expected time span, they should be alert to any gradual or sudden change for the worse. Such changes, or an asymmetrical difference between the two legs, may indicate a medical problem, growth abnormality, injury or infection and should be brought to the attention of a pediatric orthopaedist.