Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooBowed Legs

Bowed legs are very common in toddlers and, in most cases, are a normal part of development (AAOS, n.d.). When a child with bowed legs stands with their feet together, there is a distinct space between the knees and the lower legs. This may be because one or both legs curve outward. In most children, the bowing gets better as they grow, and the legs straighten, usually by age 3 to 4 (AAOS, n.d.; Nemours KidsHealth, 2020).

Less commonly, bowed legs are caused by a medical condition, such as rickets (a bone problem caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium or phosphorus) or Blount's disease (a growth problem of the shin bone that is more common in children who are overweight) (AAOS, n.d.; Nemours KidsHealth, 2020).

Bowed Legs Anatomy

The skeleton is a living structure that supports the entire body. Bones are made of an outer shell of dense bone surrounding a honeycomb structure of softer bone. Two sections make up the human skeleton: the axial skeleton, which has 80 bones including the spine, skull and chest, and the appendicular skeleton, which has 126 bones including the limbs, hands, feet and the shoulder and pelvic girdles (National Cancer Institute, n.d.). In children, the long bones grow from growth plates near the ends of the bones, which help decide the length and shape of the adult bone. In Blount's disease, the growth plate at the top of the shin bone (tibia) does not grow normally (AAOS, n.d.).

How Bowed Legs Are Treated

Treatments you may want to discuss with your family doctor or nurse practitioner, or your child's medical team

Tips

• Bowed legs are most obvious when the child walks or stands. The most common sign is an awkward walking pattern (AAOS, n.d.).
• Toddlers with bowed legs usually have normal coordination and are not delayed in learning to walk. The bowing can be significant and quite alarming to parents and other family members (AAOS, n.d.).
• Toddlers with bowed legs often have turning in of the feet (in-toeing) (AAOS, n.d.).
• Bowed legs do not usually cause pain in young children. If bowing continues into the teenage years, it can lead to discomfort in the hips, knees and ankles because of the extra stress the curved legs put on these joints (AAOS, n.d.; Nemours KidsHealth, 2020).
• See your child's doctor if the legs are not straightening, if the bowing is getting worse or is still there after age 3, if one leg is more bowed than the other, or if your child has pain, a limp, weakness or trouble running (Nemours KidsHealth, 2020; Kaneshiro, 2024).

Most bowing in toddlers is a normal stage that straightens on its own, so your child's doctor leads the plan, which is often just watching it over time. As a massage therapist, I treat the symptoms that can come with it, such as aching, tight or tired legs, rather than the bowing itself. My role is to support your child's comfort, movement and strength alongside that plan.

I start by assessing how your child stands, walks and moves. With young children, a parent or caregiver gives consent, and parents are welcome to sit in, with their child's agreement.

Supporting Your Child

• Gentle hands-on work and play-based movement to keep the hips, knees and ankles comfortable
• For older children and teenagers with aching hips, knees or ankles, hands-on work and light, supervised strengthening, starting with body weight only
• No formal strength programmes for children under about six or seven: active play is the best exercise at that age

If Your Child Needs a Brace or Surgery

1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) (n.d.) Bowed legs (genu varum, Blount's disease). OrthoInfo. Available at: https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/diseases--conditions/bowed-legs-blounts-disease/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
2. Kaneshiro, N.K. (2024) Bowlegs. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Available at: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001585.htm (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
3. Nemours KidsHealth (2020) Bow legs (genu varum). Available at: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/bow-legs.html (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
4. National Cancer Institute (n.d.) Divisions of the skeleton. SEER Training Modules. Available at: https://training.seer.cancer.gov/anatomy/skeletal/divisions/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).