Learn About Knock Knees
Knock knees are a condition in which the knees touch, but the ankles do not touch. The legs turn inward.
Genu valgum
Infants start out with bowlegs because of their folded position while in their mother's womb. The legs begin to straighten once the child starts to walk (at about 12 to 18 months). By age 3, the child becomes knock-kneed. When the child stands, the knees touch but the ankles are apart.
By puberty, the legs straighten out and most children can stand with the knees and ankles touching (without forcing the position).
Knock knees can also develop as a result of a medical problem or disease, such as:
- Injury of the shinbone (only one leg will be knock-kneed)
- Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
- Overweight or obesity
- Rickets (a disease caused by a lack of vitamin D)
Knock knees are not treated in most cases.
If the problem continues after age 7, the child may use a night brace. This brace is attached to a shoe.
Surgery may be considered for knock knees that are severe and continue beyond late childhood.
Proliance Puget Sound Orthopaedics
Patrick Vaughan, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in the care and education of the amateur, professional and weekend athlete. He utilizes both non-operative as well as surgical care in order to restore his patients' function and return them to the activities they love.Dr. Vaughan has been practicing orthopedic surgery in the South Sound for over 15 years. He is the medical director and team orthopedic surgeon for the Tacoma Rainiers (AAA franchise of the Seattle Mariners), and provides sports medicine coverage for Gig Harbor High School. He is the current team orthopedic surgeon for the University of Puget Sound and has worked with all of the school's varsity sports teams for over a dozen years. He served in the U.S. Navy from 2001-2005 at the Naval Hospital Pensacola as an orthopedic surgeon.He enjoys outdoor activities, such as hiking, skiing, and golf, spending time with his family, and playing sports with his two teenagers. Dr. Vaughan is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Knock Knees. His top areas of expertise are Knock Knees, Osteoarthritis, Bowlegs, Hip Replacement, and Knee Replacement.
Jatin Prakash practices in New Delhi, India. Mr. Prakash is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Knock Knees. His top areas of expertise are Knock Knees, Bowlegs, Osteomyelitis in Children, Osteotomy, and Knee Replacement.
Primary Children's Hospital - Orthopedics
Christopher Makarewich, MD is a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon and Instructor in the University of Utah Department of Orthopaedics, seeing patients at Primary Children's Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children � Salt Lake City.Dr. Makarewich specializes in limb lengthening and reconstruction for limb deformities of any cause, including trauma, infection, congenital differences, and genetic/syndromic disorders. In addition, he also focuses on hip disorders including hip dysplasia, Legg-Calves-Perthes disease, and slipped capital femoral epiphysis, as well as pediatric orthopaedic trauma. He finds the process of restoring a child's function and ability to stay or become active to be incredibly rewarding.Dr. Makarewich graduated cum laude from Colby College in Maine. He received his medical degree with honors from Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha honor society and received the Freddie H. Fu, MD Outstanding Student Award in Orthopaedics as well as the Frederick P. Lord Award in Anatomy. He completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Utah and went on to a pediatric orthopaedic surgery fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. He then continued to further subspecialize in pediatric limb lengthening and reconstructive surgery through a fellowship with the International Center for Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction at the Rubin Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the Pediatric Orthopedic Society of North America, and the Limb Lengthening and Reconstruction Society.When Dr. Makarewich is not working he can be found spending time with his family and enjoying the outdoors while hiking, skiing, and mountain biking. Dr. Makarewich is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Knock Knees. His top areas of expertise are Knock Knees, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Achondroplasia, Osteotomy, and Tenotomy.
Children normally outgrow knock knees without treatment, unless it is caused by a disease.
If surgery is needed, the results are most often good.
Complications may include:
- Difficulty walking (very rare)
- Self-esteem changes related to cosmetic appearance of knock knees
- If left untreated, knock knees can lead to early arthritis of the knee
Contact your provider if you think your child has knock knees.
There is no known prevention for normal knock knees.
Summary: Foot and leg pain among otherwise healthy children is a common reason for referral to our pediatric orthopaedics outpatient clinic. The pain is often intermittent and transient, but for some the pain is more dominating and has an impact on the child and families. Children grown and have normal anatomical variations such as in-toeing, out-toeing, hypermobility, flatfeet, knock knees etc. Assessing ...
Summary: This study aims to explore and compare two distinct approaches to physical activity: functional training and dynamic play exercises, focusing on their effects on children's gross motor skills, physical fitness and balance. A randomized clinical trial will be conducted. The study will be conducted at Primary school of Lahore in a total duration of 10 months. Sample size will be 38. There will be tw...
Published Date: October 20, 2024
Published By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Pomeranz AJ, Sabnis S, Busey SL, Kliegman RM. Bowlegs and knock-knees. In: Pomeranz AJ, Sabnis S, Busey SL, Kliegman RM, eds. Pediatric Decision-Making Strategies. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 49.
Williams BA, Winell JJ, Wells L. Torsional and angular deformities of the limb. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 716.
Wimberly RL. Disorders of the leg. In: Herring JA, ed. Tachdjian's Pediatric Orthopaedics. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 18.