Genu varum, more commonly known as bow legs, is characterized by a wider-than-average space between a patient’s knees. The legs will curve outward at the knee, creating a bow-like appearance. If you or someone you know has bow legs, you may benefit from chiropractic treatment.
The options you have to treat your bow legs may depend on your age, physical ability, and the severity of your condition. Chiropractic care and physical therapy offer a range of treatment options to help ease any discomfort associated with bow legs.
What Types of Chiropractic Treatments Can Help With Bow Legs?
While some patients might not experience any discomfort associated with bow legs, others might feel knee pain, back pain, hip pain, or other issues associated with misalignment of the legs. A chiropractor or physical therapist can recommend treatments like the following:
Chiropractic Adjustments
Once your chiropractor understands your condition and the source of your pain, they can manually adjust your body. Your chiropractor can target your spine, legs, or hips as they apply low-velocity high-amplitude thrusts to force your body into alignment. There are several types of chiropractic adjustments, including:
- Diversified or seated diversified adjustments, which help “pop” your back to relieve pain. This may help you if bow legs are causing strain on your spine.
- Lumbar side posture adjustments, which require you to lie on your side with your leg bent in front of you. This helps ease pain in your lower back.
- Manual extremities adjustments, which can target your hips, knees, ankles, or any other area of concern caused by bow legs.
- The sacral-occipital technique (SOT), which can be used to target the extremities, hips, and pelvis of bow leg patients.
Corrective Care
This physical therapy treatment method is often prescribed after chiropractic adjustments. Corrective care can help with chronic pain and symptom monitoring to ensure your condition is improving.
Massage Therapy
Bow legs may cause soreness and arthritis because of the incorrect position of the legs. Massage therapy can alleviate some of the discomfort caused by bow legs. It is known to ease muscle tension, spasms, and soreness throughout the body.
Rehabilitative Therapy
Rehabilitation may be prescribed to patients with bow legs because it is known to help improve range of motion and strength. Patients may benefit from improved mobility and greater stability and balance.
Ultrasound Therapy
This technique uses an ultrasound machine to send gentle sound waves into your muscle tissue. Ultrasound therapy can help increase your blood flow and ease inflammation in your lower back, knees, and thighs.
Stretching and Strength Training
Learning the best stretches and strength exercises for your body can help you remain healthy. If you have bow legs, your physical therapist and chiropractor can work together to create a custom plan that helps you remain in good physical condition without causing you any pain.
What Are Bow Legs?
According to Cleveland Clinic, babies can be born bow-legged because of the small amount of room they have in the uterus. Bow legs is a condition that causes the knees to curve outward, creating a wide gap between the legs.
Sometimes, toddlers are born with bow legs but grow out of the condition by age two as their bodies develop. If you or your child continue experiencing bow legs beyond the age of two, you may need treatment like splints, casts, surgery, or a brace to correct the position of your legs. Chiropractic treatment and physical therapy can also help you.
Conditions That Could Cause Bow Legs
While most children grow out of bow legs, those that don’t may be suffering from a more serious condition. Some conditions that may cause bow legs include:
- Blount’s disease: This is a growth disorder caused by a problem in a child’s shin bone growth plate. Blount’s disease is known to be more common in children who are overweight or walk early.
- Rickets: Rickets is rare in the United States, but not impossible to suffer from. Patients with rickets are suffering from a calcium or vitamin D deficiency, which makes their bones softer and weaker. This bone softness causes them to bow.
- Dwarfism: Bone growth disorders can cause dwarfism and bow legs.
Other bone problems like fractures or bone dysplasia can also lead to bow legs. Your doctor will be able to assess your condition to determine what may have caused bow legs.
How Are Bow Legs Diagnosed?
Bow legs can generally be diagnosed by looking at the patient’s leg positioning. However, in some cases, X-rays and blood tests may be necessary. If your doctor suspects you are suffering from rickets, they may request you have blood work done. X-rays could be needed if:
- A child is older than two or three years old and still has bow legs
- The legs are becoming more bowed
- The bowing is not even on both legs
- You have other health complications in addition to bow legs
Since bow legs can lead to other complications, like arthritis, it is important to have your condition assessed by a doctor. They will be able to suggest options to help you stay ahead of additional health complications that may arise.
Do Bow Legs Need Treatment?
In severe cases, bow legs may be treated with surgery. However, most doctors will not suggest this type of surgery unless it is significantly affecting your health or quality of life. This is why many patients seek help from a chiropractor or physical therapist. These types of specialized doctors can help you ease any pain or discomfort caused by your condition without the need for invasive methods.
Your doctor might suggest you make slight adjustments to your lifestyle if you are diagnosed with bow legs. For example, you might need to wear special shoes, braces, or casts to help you walk and remain comfortable.
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Benefits of Treating Bow Legs With Chiropractic Care
Though you could go without treatment for bow legs, seeking the guidance of a chiropractor has significant benefits. For example:
Chiropractic Care Is Not Invasive
Some treatment options for bow legs are invasive and could take a long time to heal. While sometimes surgery is necessary, chiropractic treatment offers a non-invasive alternative to therapy. With chiropractic treatment, there is no downtime and no need to take pain medications.
It Fits Into Your Schedule
Patients often find chiropractic care to be a convenient treatment method. Chiropractic sessions generally do not last long, so you can fit treatment into your work, school, or personal schedule. It’s important that you find a chiropractor who is willing to work with you to find appointment times that work.
It Helps Prevent Future Health Problems
Arthritis is a possible complication associated with bow legs. You might also feel general soreness from poor posture and difficulty walking. If you treat bow legs with chiropractic care, you can realign your body, build strength and range of motion, and prevent future injuries.
Your chiropractor and physical therapist can teach you stretches and exercises you can perform at home. This helps you continue building strength and flexibility. Plus, you’ll learn exercises you can perform safely without worsening your bow legs.
Chiropractic Offers Pain Relief
Some patients with bow legs experience soreness associated with tight muscles and arthritis. Chiropractic care and physical therapy can teach you methods to manage your pain. Your doctors will also ensure you leave the chiropractic office feeling better than when you came in.
Chiropractors Offer Custom Treatment Plans
Chiropractic medicine is unique in that it can be customized to treat your condition. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to chiropractic treatment. Your chiropractor will listen to the specifics of your condition and ensure they fully understand your symptoms. Then, they will work with you to build a custom treatment plan that you feel comfortable with.
As your condition improves, your chiropractor can continue to modify your treatment plan to suit your new needs. You can discuss what you feel comfortable with to help your chiropractor modify your care plan as needed.
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Contact Specific Care Chiropractic to Make an Appointment to Treat Bow Legs
If you or someone you love is dealing with discomfort caused by bow legs, reach out to Specific Care Chiropractic. We serve patients in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, and Lehigh Acres, and we are ready to help you schedule your first appointment. When you reach out to our team, we can answer any questions you have and find an appointment time that works for you.
Our goal is to make you feel as comfortable as you can. Call us today at to learn more and book your appointment.
