Bow leg remedies for children
Bow legs, also known as genu varum, sometimes occur naturally in children who are going through their developmental stage, i.e. those under the age of three. It involves the bending of one or both legs via either the tibia (shin bone) or the femur (thigh bone). Treatment only becomes essential if this condition doesn't wear off with age. It's not always easy, of course, to predict whether your child is going to have bow legs beyond the age of around 3 years. Fortunately, however, it's certainly possible to apply the methods discussed below to prevent bow legs from worsening, or even prevent their occurrence in the first place.
Timely observation
If you start to notice that your child has an unusual gait, walking style, and bowed legs within their first three years, don't worry too much. That said, if you notice these symptoms continuing past the three-year mark, it's important to consult a pediatrician as soon as possible. Regular check-ups are a must for children with bow legs, as they can ensure prompt treatment if the situation begins to get out of hand and doesn't resolve on its own. Usually, these treatments involve the use of medical braces.
Vitamin D
A diet with adequate levels of vitamin D is important to prevent the bone disease Rickets. This same vitamin also happens to be an important ingredient when it comes to potentially preventing your child from developing bow legs. Even for children who already have bow legs, timely diagnosis and treatment can often help to prevent the condition from continuing past the age of 3 years. This treatment simply involves supplementing your child's diet with vitamin D. It becomes crucially important if tests show the child is actually suffering from a vitamin D deficiency.
Medical Braces: a useful tool
No one wants to resort to surgery to correct their bow legs, and often, most people don't want to opt for medical braces either. Using braces for a child should only be necessary if his or her bow legs refuse to straighten out on their own. Braces may, however, become crucial- but only if there are serious disorders contributing to or causing their bow legs.
Timely treatment can prevent complications
There may be more serious repercussions if your child's bow legs aren't treated in a timely and appropriate manner. By their very nature, bowed legs can cause your child's legs and knees to change shape in a way that places tremendous strain on their joints. This strain can, in turn, trigger severe aches in your child's knee joints, not to mention his or her ankles and hips. When joints experience such immense friction and wear over as your child grows up, it's not uncommon for arthritis to develop later in life. This is why it's so important for a child suffering from bow legs to be treated in a timely manner.
