12 Nov Noticed that your child’s legs seems bowed and wondering if it’s normal or not

Been told that Bow Legs are a sign of Vitamin D deficiency and Rickets
Have you been giving your child extra Vitamins because you thought that they had Rickets

Recently, here at My Favourite Physio, our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapist met 11 month old baby boy Master J, who started walking at 9 months old and is now walking for almost 3 months. His parents felt that his legs looked very bowed and took him to the Family Doctor, who told the parents that because he looks bow legged, he probably has Rickets, so he should have Vitamin D supplements and a Vitamin D rich diet. The Family Doctor also referred Master J to a Paediatric Physiotherapist to review. And so we met Master J and his parents.

On full examination of Master J, we were able to determine that Master J is actually a well and healthy child. He’s shin bones were not bowed from his knee to his ankle but rather he had a slight bowing from his hips to his ankles. This is a normal leg bone developmental stage for a child his age. In normal development, the thigh bones and shin bones rotate in relation to each other to give the following developmental stages of the hip, knee and ankle joints:

From birth to 24 months old, a child’s legs will look bowed.
From 24 months to 2.5 years old, a child’s legs will look straight with their hips, knees and ankles aligned.
From 2.5 years to 7 years old, a child’s legs will start to look knock kneed.
From 7 years old onwards, a child’s legs will again return to straight with their hips, knees and ankles aligned.

Master J was not given a blood test to determine if he had a Vitamin D deficiency, given that he has a healthy balanced diet and active lifestyle, it is extremely unlikely that he has Rickets. The Vitamin D supplements are unnecessary for a healthy active child like Master J.

So if you are concerned about your child’s leg posture, it is best to have your child assessed by an Expert Paediatric Physiotherapist. Ring My Favourite Physio on (02) 9790 4233 or DM us @myfavouritephysio to find out how we can help your child today!