Bow legs

The illustration shows mild bowing. Bowing may become extreme in certain cases.

Genu varum - the medical name for bow legs

In bow legs the knees are more widely apart than the rest of the leg. It is common in small children, who simply grow out of it, but in some people the bowing continues into adulthood.

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What causes a bow leg deformity beginning in adulthood?

Bowing ('varus deformity') may develop later in life, as arthritis breaks down the inner (medial) aspect of the knee joint, often due to a meniscus having been removed some years earlier ('medial compartment' arthritis). In countries where diet and health may be poor, bow legs may also occur from such things as scurvy.

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Quick links

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Peer-reviewed papers

• Quote:

  "...cartilage or meniscal injury....can be magnified in the setting of limb malalignment as a result of abnormal loading and increased contact pressures."

  Citation: Murray R, Winkler PW, Shaikh HS, Musahl V. High Tibial Osteotomy for Varus Deformity of the Knee. J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev. 2021 Jul 9;5(7):e21.00141. doi: 10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-21-00141. PMID: 34242204; PMCID: PMC8274793.

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