What should you know about straightening knock knees?

Knock knees, also called genu valgum, mean the knees move inward while the ankles remain farther apart when the legs are together. In growing children, leg alignment can change as the skeleton develops, so observation may be appropriate. Persistent, pronounced or newly developing alignment in an older child or adult deserves an assessment.

A clinician may examine walking, hip and knee movement, leg symmetry and foot position. Imaging can show how the bones are aligned when the appearance or symptoms require more detail. Pain, limping, stiffness or unequal leg length can change the treatment plan.

Do not try to force the knees straight with braces, exercises or shoe inserts without an assessment. Physiotherapy may address strength, balance, movement habits and symptoms, particularly in children when recommended. Maintaining comfortable activity and a healthy range of motion can support function, but exercises cannot reshape a growing or mature bone on their own. In selected cases, an orthopaedic surgeon may discuss osteotomy, an operation that changes bone alignment.

Arrange an evaluation if the alignment is worsening, appears on one side only, causes persistent pain, produces a limp, limits activity or follows an injury. Seek prompt care for sudden inability to bear weight, severe swelling, a visibly deformed leg, or a foot that becomes numb, cold or unusually pale.

Is the alignment appropriate for my age? Do both legs have the same pattern? Would an examination, standing X-ray or physiotherapy assessment help? What changes should make us return sooner, and which activities are suitable now?