Solutions for knock knees

Knock knees, or genu valgum, means the knees angle inward while the ankles remain farther apart when standing. This alignment can be part of normal growth in children, but persistent, marked, painful, or uneven alignment needs assessment. A clinician considers age, family history, growth pattern, leg length, walking pattern, pain, and any underlying bone or joint problem. The visible shape alone does not show whether treatment is needed.

For a child without pain or functional difficulty, a clinician may recommend observation with planned reviews as growth continues. Physiotherapy can address hip and leg strength, movement control, balance, and activity habits when symptoms or movement problems are present; paediatric physiotherapy is designed around development. Braces, inserts, or exercises are not suitable for every cause, so use them only after assessment. When alignment remains significant after growth or causes pain and walking limitation, an orthopaedic surgeon may discuss osteotomy, which reshapes or repositions bone to improve the mechanical axis. Recovery planning depends on the bone involved and the procedure.

Book an assessment if one leg is more affected, the appearance is worsening, pain persists, walking becomes difficult, or the child tires, limps, or avoids activities. Seek prompt care after an injury with inability to bear weight, severe swelling, numbness, or a cold or discoloured foot. Earlier review is useful when knock knees appear with other growth concerns or a history of bone disease.

Is this alignment appropriate for my child’s stage of growth? Is the pattern symmetrical, and does it affect walking or joint loading? Would paediatric physiotherapy help? When would osteotomy be considered, and what would recovery involve?