--- title: Bow Legs Correction Exercises You Can Do At Home description: Bow legs – the medical term is genu varum – is a common condition in very young children that can be problematic if it carries over into adulthood. Learn Bow Legs Exercises To Do At Home For Bow Legs Correction! image: https://blog.heightlengthening.com/hubfs/Blog_images/Vitamin-D.jpg --- [![Height-Lengthening-Ortho-logo\_web](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LP_Images/Height-Lengthening-Ortho-logo_web.png?width=217&height=100&name=Height-Lengthening-Ortho-logo_web.png "Height-Lengthening-Ortho-logo_web")](https://www.heightlengthening.com/) **Phone: [(818) 322-0126](tel:18183220126)** - [Height Lengthening](https://offer.heightlengthening.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-height-lengthening-how-to-grow-taller) - [Consultation](https://www.heightlengthening.com/consultation/) - [Limb Lengthening Costs & Expenses](https://www.heightlengthening.com/costs-expenses/) - [Limb Lengthening Pre-Surgery](https://www.heightlengthening.com/pre-surgery/) - [Limb Lengthening Surgery](https://www.heightlengthening.com/surgery/) - [Limb Lengthening Post Surgery](https://www.heightlengthening.com/post-surgery/) - [Benefits & Risks](https://www.heightlengthening.com/benefits-risks/) - [Alternatives](https://www.heightlengthening.com/alternatives/) - [Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.heightlengthening.com/faq/) - [Before and After Gallery](https://www.heightlengthening.com/picture-gallery/) - [Travel and Accommodations](https://www.heightlengthening.com/travel-and-accommodations/) - [The Precice Max (PMAX)](https://www.heightlengthening.com/precice-max-the-future-of-limb-lengthening-surgery/) - [Orthopedics](https://www.heightlengthening.com/) - [Bow Leg Correction](https://www.heightlengthening.com/bow-leg-correction/) - [Leg Length Discrepancy](https://www.heightlengthening.com/leg-length-discrepancy/) - [Knock Knee Correction Surgery with Dr. Shahab Mahboubian](https://www.heightlengthening.com/knock-knee-deformity/) - [PRP and Stem Cell Therapy](https://www.heightlengthening.com/prp-and-stem-cell-therapy/) - [About Us](https://www.heightlengthening.com/) - [Meet the Team](https://www.heightlengthening.com/meet-us/) - [Testimonials](https://www.heightlengthening.com/testimonials/) - [Media](https://www.heightlengthening.com/media/) - Resources - [A Guide On Limb Lengthening Surgery](https://www.heightlengthening.com/a-guide-on-limb-lengthening-surgery/) - [Height Lengthening Success Rate](https://www.heightlengthening.com/is-limb-lengthening-surgery-safe-understanding-the-risks-and-success-rates/) - [The Limits of Height Lengthening](https://www.heightlengthening.com/how-much-height-can-you-gain-understanding-the-limits-of-stature-increase/) - [Watch Free Webinar](https://offer.heightlengthening.com/height-lengthening-webinar) - [Blog](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/) - [eBooks](https://offer.heightlengthening.com/resources) - [Contact Us](https://www.heightlengthening.com/contact-us/) [![Height Lengthening](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/hs-fs/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Heightlengthening_August2023/images/height-lengthening-white.png?width=204&height=61&name=height-lengthening-white.png "Height Lengthening")](https://www.heightlengthening.com/) - Height Lengthening - [Consultation](https://www.heightlengthening.com/consultation/) - [Pre-Surgery](https://www.heightlengthening.com/pre-surgery/) - [Surgery](https://www.heightlengthening.com/surgery/) - [Post Surgery](https://www.heightlengthening.com/post-surgery/) - [Benefits & Risks](https://www.heightlengthening.com/benefits-risks/) - [Alternatives](https://www.heightlengthening.com/alternatives/) - [Costs & Expenses](https://www.heightlengthening.com/costs-expenses/) - [Frequently Asked Questions](https://www.heightlengthening.com/faq/) - [Before and After Gallery](https://www.heightlengthening.com/picture-gallery/) - [Travel and Accommodations](https://www.heightlengthening.com/travel-and-accommodations/) - Orthopedics - [Bow Leg Correction](https://www.heightlengthening.com/bow-leg-correction/) - [Leg Length Discrepancy](https://www.heightlengthening.com/leg-length-discrepancy/) - [Knock Knee Deformity](https://www.heightlengthening.com/knock-knee-deformity/) - [PRP and Stem Cell Therapy](https://www.heightlengthening.com/prp-and-stem-cell-therapy/) - About Us - [Meet the Team](https://www.heightlengthening.com/meet-us/) - [Testimonials](https://www.heightlengthening.com/testimonials/) - [Media](https://www.heightlengthening.com/media/) - Resources - [A Guide On Limb Lengthening Surgery](https://www.heightlengthening.com/a-guide-on-limb-lengthening-surgery/) - [Watch Free Webinar](https://offer.heightlengthening.com/height-lengthening-webinar) - [Blog](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/) - [Contact Us](https://www.heightlengthening.com/contact-us/) [The Height Lengthening Team](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/author/the-height-lengthening-team) 11/23/2016 3 Minutes ## Bow Legs Correction Exercises You Can Do At Home ![Bow Legs Correction Exercises You Can Do At Home](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/hubfs/Blog_images/Vitamin-D.jpg "Bow Legs Correction Exercises You Can Do At Home") ![woman exercising and facing the sun ](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_images/Vitamin-D.jpg?width=600&height=369&name=Vitamin-D.jpg "Vitamin-D-exercises-bowlegs-bowlegged-genuvarum.jpg") Bow legs – the medical term is **genu varum** – is a **common condition in very young children** that can be **problematic** if it carries over **into adulthood**. As the term implies, it occurs when the legs are bow-shaped, with the knees wider apart while the ankles and feet are close together. In some cases, exercises may be helpful, but if not, there are other options for bow legs correction. ## Bow Legs - Causes Until they have been walking for at least a year, bow legs are normal in all children; they are less common in adults, but exact figures are not available. The muscles of the **inner thighs and lower legs must be strengthened** through the exercise of standing, walking and weight bearing. As these muscles become stronger, the **bow-legged condition gradually corrects itself**. However, once a child reaches the age of three and is still bow-legged, other strategies may be in order. At this age, bow legs may be caused by abnormal bone development, a congenital growth disorder called Blount's disease or tibia vara, fractures that don't heal properly, lead or fluoride poisoning, and rickets – which occurs in children who have vitamin D deficiency. ## Why Correct Bow Legs? Even if your bow legs are functional and don't affect mobility, bow legs correction can be important to reduce pain and to prevent future problems. Muscles work in pairs. In conditions like bow legs, muscle strength is uneven, which can affect the hip, knee and ankle joints and cause pain. **Bow legs put extra pressure** on the inside of the knee and – over the long term – can increase the risk of osteoarthritis. If you are overweight and have bow legs, that puts even more **stress on the joints** in the legs, which can make joint pain worse. Eventually the cartilage in the joints, especially the knees, begins to deteriorate, allowing the bones to rub together. Bow legs can also change your overall posture and may lead to back pain. Finally, it may be a cosmetic issue and affect your self-esteem. ## Benefits of Exercise **Exercises** for bow legs correction **offer multiple benefits**. Strengthening muscles promotes better posture overall and can help decrease problems like back pain. Since muscles work in pairs, what usually happens is that one set becomes weak and lengthens, while the other becomes short and tight. Flexor muscles – which bend the joint – are most likely to become tight. ![woman on a yoga mat doing yoga exercise for bowlegged posture](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_images/yoga.jpg?width=600&height=399&name=yoga.jpg "yoga-exercises-bowleg-bowlegs-bowlegged-posture-straightenbones.jpg") **Exercise focused** specifically on the weak muscles in each pair brings them into **balance** and may help **straighten the bones** to which the muscles attach. Weak muscles in areas other than the legs may contribute to or make bow legs worse. For example, weak hip flexor muscles tilt the pelvis backward, rotate the femurs (long bones in the thigh) outward and separate the knees. ## Exercises for Bow Leg Correction Attempting bow legs correction with exercise takes considerable **effort** and **dedication on your part**. You should work with a physical therapist or personal trainer who has experience in this area, as the exercises must be performed correctly to be effective. These professionals can also assess which muscles are weak or overly tight and **develop a program specific to your needs**. Exercise may be more effective in children than adults, as the postural imbalances are “set” by adulthood. Long-standing bow legs also affect bone development, and the bones themselves cannot be [changed by exercise](http://www.beautyandmakeup.net/bow-legs-correction/). The most common exercises or therapies are Pilates, yoga and exercises specifically targeted to strengthen certain muscles. One of the major benefits of massage therapy is that it relaxes tight muscles. Remember, you need to deal with muscles that are overly tight as well as **muscles that need to be strengthened**. Whatever other exercise you choose, it should be combined with **massage therapy and stretching exercises** as well as strengthening exercises. ### Typical exercises include the following (all should be performed as smoothly as possible): - Lift one leg, bend it at the knee and then gently pull it down to the chest with your arms. - Lie flat on your back. Bend the knees and place a weight between the feet (start at 10 pounds and then increase the weight and the number of repetitions as you become stronger). Holding the weight in place by squeezing the legs together, bend the knees until your heels touch the buttocks, then extend the legs. - Yoga helps promote overall flexibility and alignment, positions like the forward bend, Warrior poses and Cow Face are beneficial for bow leg correction. You may want to use a yoga strap to bind the legs together. - Pilates can also help with strengthening, especially muscles that affect the pelvis and back. Ballerina Arms and Roll-Up can be beneficial. You can also lie on the back and lift both legs; keep your legs together and quickly move them up and down. Next, lift the upper torso off the ground and tighten the abdominal muscles. - Squats and lunges are helpful for hip flexors; if necessary, use a chair or counter to help you maintain your balance. If, despite all your efforts, your bow legs do not improve significantly, you may want to [consider surgery](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/what-your-orthopedic-surgeon-wants-you-to-know-about-bow-legged-surgery) for bow legs correction. Called an osteotomy, this is a procedure performed in the hospital, requiring a couple of nights stay after the surgery. [Contact an orthopedic surgeon](https://offer.heightlengthening.com/contact-us-articles) for an assessment and recommendations.   --- #### Share: - [Follow us on Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.heightlengthening.com/bow-legs-correction-exercises-you-can-do-at-home) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.heightlengthening.com/bow-legs-correction-exercises-you-can-do-at-home&text=Bow%20Legs%20Correction%20Exercises%20You%20Can%20Do%20At%20Home) - [Follow us on Linkedin](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.heightlengthening.com/bow-legs-correction-exercises-you-can-do-at-home) - [Follow us on Pinterest](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://blog.heightlengthening.com/bow-legs-correction-exercises-you-can-do-at-home&text=Bow%20Legs%20Correction%20Exercises%20You%20Can%20Do%20At%20Homedescription=Bow%20legs%20–%20the%20medical%20term%20is%20genu%20varum%20–%20is%20a%20common%20condition%20in%20very%20young%20children%20that%20can%20be%20problematic%20if%20it%20carries%20over%20into%20adulthood.%20As%20the%20term[...]&media=http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/1984433/Blog_images/Vitamin-D.jpg) --- #### [What to Research When Considering Limb Lengthening and Height Surgery Previous Post](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/considering-the-benefits-of-limb-lengthening-and-height-surgery) #### [Height Enhancement Surgery And The Recovery Process Next Post](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/height-enhancement-surgery-and-the-recovery-process-1) ### Category - [Height Lengthening (100)](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/topic/height-lengthening) - [Height Surgery (65)](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/topic/height-surgery) - [Limb Discrepancy / Limb Lengthening (64)](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/topic/limb-discrepancy-limb-lengthening) - [Height Confidence (38)](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/topic/height-confidence) - [Height Awareness (33)](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/topic/height-awareness) ### Popular Posts [The Height Lengthening Team](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/author/the-height-lengthening-team) 10/14/2021 [How Tall People Perceive Short People in Social Situations](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/how-tall-people-perceive-short-people-in-social-situations) [The Height Lengthening Team](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/author/the-height-lengthening-team) 05/25/2016 [Bow-Legged or Genu Varum](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/topic/bow-legged-or-genu-varum) [Everything You Need To Know About Bowleg Correction](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-bowleg-correction) [The Height Lengthening Team](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/author/the-height-lengthening-team) 08/31/2021 [Limb Discrepancy / Limb Lengthening](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/topic/limb-discrepancy-limb-lengthening) [4 Leg Length Discrepancy Exercises You Can Do Everyday](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/leg-length-discrepancy-exercises) [The Height Lengthening Team](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/author/the-height-lengthening-team) 04/06/2023 [Height Confidence](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/topic/height-confidence), [Height Awareness](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/topic/height-awareness) [Stature and Society: How a Woman's Height Impacts Her Daily Experience](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/stature-and-society-how-a-womans-height-impacts-her-daily-experience) --- [![Height-Lengthening-Ortho-logo\_web](https://blog.heightlengthening.com/hs-fs/hubfs/LP_Images/Height-Lengthening-Ortho-logo_web.png?width=217&height=100&name=Height-Lengthening-Ortho-logo_web.png "Height-Lengthening-Ortho-logo_web")](https://www.heightlengthening.com/) We are the leader in height lengthening surgery and leg deformity correction. Being short or having limb deformities are the two major reasons why people decide to undergo these procedures. Address: 191 S. Buena Vista St. #475, Burbank, CA 91505 Phone: [(818) 322-0126](tel:18183220126) *A link to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) [Open Payments web page](https://openpaymentsdata.cms.gov/) is provided for informational purposes only. The federal Physician Payments Sunshine Act requires that detailed information about payment and other payments of value worth over ten dollars ($10) from manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and biologics to physicians and teaching hospitals be made available to the public.* Copyright 2026. All Rights Reserved | **[Medical Marketing and Website](https://www.digitalstandout.com/)** by Digital Standout