Knock Knee And Bow Legs - Which Can Be Corrected Without Surgery?

Knock knee or genu valgum is a misalignment of the legs that causes the knees to bend inward. The condition is apparent in kids, but usually corrects itself, as they grow up. However, some adults may also develop the disorder due to an injured knee, obesity, lack of vitamin D and calcium, arthritis in the knee.

Surgery is only required for the condition if other treatments do not work and the condition is severe. In other cases, the following treatments are used -

Knock-knee treatment

1. Weight loss

This is the most common and simplest remedy to manage and treat knock-knee. However, weight loss only works if the cause of the condition was your weight. Consult your physician to understand whether your knock-knee has been caused due to weight issues or due to other conditions.

2. Exercise

Physical therapy and exercise of the knee joint can also relieve some of the pain and may even rectify the disorder entirely. Stretching and simple leg exercises specifically designed to strengthen the knee can prove greatly effective against knock-knee.

3. Orthotics

If the disorder causes one leg to be shorter than the other, you can use a splint or brace inside your shoe to even out the difference. This will not only decrease pain and normalize your gait, but will also allow you to walk normally in the long run.

Bowlegs syndrome is a similar condition that causes the knees to be far apart, even when the ankles are together. The disorder is often an external manifestation of underlying conditions, such as rickets or Blount’s disease. Furthermore, people suffering from the condition are also at a risk of arthritis. Here are some treatments for the condition that do not involve the use of surgical procedures.

1. Treating the underlying condition

Generally, treatment for bowlegs is only necessary if a specific condition has been diagnosed, which may be causing the abnormality of the legs. For instance, if rickets or other nutritional deficiencies are leading to the disease, the doctor will treat the underlying condition and not the bowlegs.

2. Braces and casts

Putting the legs inside a brace or a cast can be a great way to normalize the bone structure and in turn treat the bowlegs. It will also improve the overall gait and eliminate the pain. Even though bowlegs and knock-knee can be painful and affects people very early on in life, they rarely manifest in adults.

Simple medication and physical therapy is often all that is needed to treat these conditions.