Very young children often have knees and legs that look a bit awkward. Two types of bone-related conditions that can become obvious in young children are bow legs and knock knees. Both of these conditions are fairly common, and usually disappear as a child grows and matures.

What are bow legs?

When a child has bow legs, their ankles touch but their knees are wide apart — this is the opposite of knock knees. Many babies have bow legs at birth. The condition may become more obvious once they start crawling or walking. However, most children will go on to outgrow the condition by 3 years of age.

What are knock knees?

A child has knock knees if their knees touch but not their ankles when they are standing. Parents often first notice their child has knock knees around 3 years of age.

A child will usually outgrow knock knees at 7 or 8 years of age. Most adults still have slight knock knees.

What should I do if my child has bow legs or knock knees?

In most cases, children outgrow these conditions without needing any special treatments. However, see your doctor if:

• the condition is severe
• your child still has bow legs after 3 years of age
• knock knees worsen after 8 years of age
• one leg is worse than the other
• your child is in pain or limping
• your child is short for their age

If your child has one of these conditions, and you are worried they may need help, see your doctor for advice.