What should you know about legs bowing outwards?

Bow legs are an outward curve of the legs, often most noticeable when the feet are together and the knees remain apart. In young children, alignment changes as the bones grow, so the appearance may alter over time. Bowing on one side, marked asymmetry, pain, difficulty walking, or a curve that becomes more obvious should be assessed rather than judged from photographs alone.

A clinician considers age, growth pattern, family history, walking pattern, and the position of the hips, knees, and ankles. Examination may be enough, while imaging is sometimes used when the curve is unusual or persistent.

Arrange a clinical assessment if the bowing is pronounced, unequal, painful, or continuing beyond the expected growth pattern. Bring notes about when you first noticed it and whether shoes wear unevenly. Do not use braces, supplements, or exercises without advice because the useful option depends on the cause and stage of growth.

For a child, paediatric physiotherapy may help assess movement, muscle control, and functional difficulties, although it does not straighten every bone alignment problem. In selected cases, an orthopaedic surgeon may discuss osteotomy, an operation that changes bone alignment.

Seek prompt medical advice for new severe pain, inability to bear weight, a rapidly changing curve, swelling, fever, or bowing after an injury. Arrange a routine appointment when one leg looks different from the other, walking becomes tiring, or the shape is not improving with growth. Urgent care is appropriate after significant trauma or when the foot becomes cold, pale, numb, or weak.

Ask what pattern of alignment is present, whether both legs are developing similarly, and whether examination or imaging is needed. You can also ask which activities are suitable, whether monitoring is enough, and what change would lead to referral for specialist treatment.