What should you know about slightly knocked knees?

With knock knees, the knees come closer together while the ankles remain farther apart when the legs are straight. In children, leg alignment changes as they grow, so age, symmetry, height, walking pattern, and family history help a clinician interpret the appearance. In adults, a longstanding angle may be harmless, while a new or worsening change can relate to injury, joint wear, bone development, or another condition.

Alignment by itself does not establish a diagnosis. Pain around the knees, hips, or ankles, frequent tripping, fatigue with walking, or one-sided change provides more useful context.

Watch how the knees and ankles line up during standing and walking, and note whether symptoms affect play, stairs, running, or everyday tasks. Choose comfortable activity and avoid forcing the legs into a different position with braces, shoes, or exercises unless a clinician recommends them. Paediatric physiotherapy can assess movement, strength, balance, and activity needs in a child. Adults with symptoms may need an orthopaedic assessment to understand whether alignment is affecting joint load.

Arrange an assessment if the alignment is clearly worsening, noticeably different on one side, painful, or associated with limping, repeated falls, reduced activity, or difficulty climbing stairs. Seek prompt care after an injury that causes sudden deformity, inability to bear weight, marked swelling, or severe pain. A clinician may observe walking and measure leg alignment, then decide whether imaging or follow-up is appropriate.

Ask: Is this alignment expected for my age? Is it symmetrical? Could it be affecting the hips, knees, or ankles? Do we need monitoring, exercises, or imaging? If treatment is needed, when would an operation such as osteotomy be considered?