Bowlegs can be caused by different reasons. The most common occurrence is children being born with them. However, they tend to straighten out by age four. When they do not straighten out and continue to develop in adults, it can be a result of a couple of reasons. These include bone fractures that may not have healed properly or due to abnormally developed bones or bone dysplasia.
They may also be a result of lead or fluoride poisoning.
Bowlegs also develop in adults because of particular medical conditions such as Blount’s disease which happens when a child’s skin develops abnormally, curving below the knees. It gets worse as the child begins to walk and the bowing gets more pronounced. In some children, the symptoms are more pronounced and recognizable as the child gets older and reaches adolescence.
Bowlegs is also caused by diseases like rickets which are caused by a prolonged deficiency of vitamin D. Rickets soften and weaken the bones and can cause the legs to bow. Paget’s disease can be another cause of bow legs.
It affects the way your bones break down and rebuild. The bones do not rebuild as strongly as they should. After some time, this can lead to joint pain and bow legs. It can, however, be treated with early diagnosis.
Another condition that can cause bow legs is dwarfism. According to Healthline, the most common form of dwarfism is caused by a condition known as achondroplasia. This is a bone growth disorder that can result in bowlegs over time.