Bow legs are a condition when your knees are apart when you are standing on your feet (your feet are together). It is normal for babies who are under 18 months old to have bow legs. But if this condition continues further, then their parents should be worried. This condition is common in children. Bow legs are leg deformities. If people were not treating this condition in their early stadium, then this condition can cause them serious problems in their adult ages. If parents have children and they have noticed that their children have bow legs, then they must start with therapy [1]. There are many medications and surgeries which are helping to win against this situation. But also there are many natural remedies which can be an effective treatment for the bow legs. The most common causes of this condition are Vitamin D deficiency, Blount’s disease, abnormal development of bones, fluoride or lead poisoning, and fractures in the bones which are not healed normally. It is very easy to be diagnosed this condition. When your children have bow legs, then their legs are in a bow shape. When they are standing, their knees are remaining on the bow. Before you start using some remedy (home remedy or medication) you should consult with your doctor if your remedy will be effective for your condition and will not make any side effects on your body. You should try to improve your condition without surgery.
9 Natural cures for bow legs
Contents
Vitamin D
This is one of the most important nutrients which are helping your lot in the fight against the bow legs. When people are having Vitamin D deficiency, then they are having bigger chance to have bow legs. This is a very important vitamin which you should add to your treatment for the bow legs. The recommended intake amount for children is 400-1000 IU per day. The recommended intake amount for adults is 1500-200 IU per day. Also, you should stay in sunlight every day because this kind of light has a lot of Vitamin D. If you have Vitamin D deficiency, then the perfect natural remedy to complete this deficiency is to eat food which is rich in supplements such as fatty fish and eggs. [2]
Detoxify your body
When children are at an early age they have some compounds and chemicals in their bodies which can make side effects on the bone growth and also they can be a reason for bow legs. This is a reason why should everyone detoxify their body. Also when children are in their development period, they should detoxify their bodies to prevent any risk from this condition. If lead and fluoride are stored in their bodies, then they can be a reason for bone weakness. If you have fluoride poisoning, then you should use calcium and magnesium hydroxide. If you have lead pipes, then you should replace them with PVC and copper pipes because they will be safer for your health. Also when you are drinking water from the pipe, you should use a filtration system because this system will help you to get rid of heavy metals and fluoride from the water.
Massage therapies exercises
Massage is one of the best remedies for many diseases such as arthritis, ache, constipation, etc. If your children have bow legs, then you should not ignore this natural remedy for them because this natural treatment is very effective in young children. If you are using this natural treatment for your children, then their bones will be straightened naturally. In this situation is very important to visit a physical therapist which has long experience in treating bow legs. When your children are at the physical therapist, he or she will move the children’s legs backward and forward for long period. When your children are growing it is very effective for them to go to a physical therapist. Also if you want your children to have better results, you should ask them to put on knee bands while they are lying down or when they are sleeping. You should raise one of your legs (if you have someone with you, then you should ask them to do this massage for you). Then, you should bend your knees. The final step is to push your leg toward the chest. You should be sure that someone will help you in this therapy because in this way you will have better results. You should repeat this treatment several times per day if you want to have better results. Also when you have visited your doctor for your children’s situation, he or she might give them shoes or special braces which can also help in the treatment of bow legs. [3]
Leg strengthening exercises
When you are doing this kind of exercise, then you are reducing the pressure on your joints. Also, this remedy will strengthen the muscles of your legs. But also there is a side effect of this therapy. It has not helped everyone. It has been an effective natural remedy in a few cases. If you have started doing this therapy and you have not noticed better results, then you should visit your doctor. When you are doing this exercise you should be in a lying position on the bench. Then, you should bend your knees and legs until the moment you have touched your butt. You should repeat this treatment several times per week for a period of a few months if you want to have the best results. This method is very helpful for people who are having bow legs which are in their early stadium. [4]
Yoga
Yoga is also a very effective natural remedy for improving your condition. Everyone knows that yoga is not easy to be performed. But if you give an effort to do this therapy, then it will help you to boost flexibility and alignment. There are many people with bow legs who cannot do yoga. But people, who are doing it, are helping themselves to fix their posture. If they are doing yoga, then they will be cured. People who are suffering from bow legs should use yoga to bind their legs together. The most recommended yoga postures are forward bends and cow face. When you are using this method, then you are helping yourself to keep your legs together. You will correct your posture and also your muscles will be strengthened. Yoga straps are used to correct your bow legs and also your bones will be stronger.
Pilates
This is another useful treatment for bow legs because there are many doctors which have proven that. This technique is very similar to yoga and both of them are very effective at treating bow legs. Pilates is a great natural treatment for strengthening the muscles in the legs (especially for people who are suffering from bow legs). When you are building muscles in your knees and in your upper things, then this process is very effective for your condition. There are many techniques in Pilates which should be used for people with bow legs. Pilates exercises such as ballerina and roll-up are very effective exercises in Pilates which are toning your legs and also they are building your abdominal muscles. If you want to do the mentioned two exercises, then you should lie on your back. When you are doing these exercises you can lay on your floor or in your bed. Your legs should be raised. Also, you should keep your legs together (they should be close and together). Then, you should move your legs up and down. When you are raising your upper torso off the ground, then you are tightening the muscles in your abdomen. When you are doing these exercises, you should breathe in and breathe out very quickly. This is a reason why Pilates is recommended as a natural treatment for bow legs. [5]
Braces and casts
If you have babies who are suffering from bow legs, then you should use braces and casts for their condition. You should put the cast or brace on their legs and let them stay. When you are using braces and casts you are making your baby’s legs straight. Also when they are sleeping you can use splints.
Physiotherapy
This is also a very effective natural treatment which should be used when people are suffering from bow legs. If you have decided to use this method as your remedy for the bow legs, you should first go to a certified physiotherapist. Your physiotherapist will show you the right exercises for leg strengthening. If you want to have the best results, then you must do this kind of exercise with your therapist. Otherwise, this method can be a reason for some kind of problem. [6]
Massage
If you have bow legs, then you should massage them. Also, it is better when another person is massaging your legs, so you can ask someone to do this for you. You should massage your legs with coconut oil because this oil is very effective for massaging the strokes which are downward. Also if you do not have someone who will massage you properly, then you should go to a professional massager. He or she will do the right treatment for the bow legs. Also, this treatment will help your children. [3]
References:
[1] Dettling S, Weiner DS. Management of bow legs in children: A primary care protocol. The Journal of Family Practice. 2017;66(5):E1-E6.
[2] Bishay SNG, El-Sherbini MHA, Azzam AA, Lotfy AA. Incidence and risk factors of rachitic genu varus in preschool children in a paediatric health institute in Egypt as one of the developing countries. The Open Orthopaedics Journal. 2016;10:412-9.
[3] Franklin NC, Ali MM, Robinson AT, et al. Massage Therapy Restores Peripheral Vascular Function following Exertion. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2014.
[4] Park SR, Ro HL, Namkoong S. The effect of stretching and elastic band exercises knee space distance and plantar pressure distribution during walking in young individuals with genu varum. Journal of The Korean Society of Physical Medicine. 2017;12(1):83-91.
[5] Menegon F. Correcting bowlegs. Retrieved from pilatesology.com/classes/correcting-bowlegs/
[6] Nazem K, Fouladi A, Chinigarzadeh M. Double tibial osteotomy for bow leg patients: A case series. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences. 2013;18(12):1092-96.
