Bowed legs can affect more than appearance. Some adults experience knee pain, difficulty walking, or changes in how their legs bear weight. Others have lived with bowed legs for years but are now wondering whether treatment could improve their alignment.

Once the bones have finished growing, braces and exercises cannot permanently straighten them. When significant bowing causes pain or affects joint health, corrective osteotomy may help.

At the Height Lengthening Institute in Burbank, Dr. Shahab Mahboubian evaluates adult bowleg deformities to identify the underlying misalignment and determine appropriate treatment options.

What Is Genu Varum in Adults?

Genu varum is the medical term for bowlegs, a condition in which the knees remain farther apart than normal when the ankles are together. The outward curve may involve the thighbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), or both.

Some adults have had bowed legs since childhood, while others develop alignment changes following injuries or certain bone conditions. Not everyone experiences pain or requires surgery.

How Bowlegs Affect Knee Alignment

Normally, the body's weight-bearing line passes from the hip through the knee toward the ankle. This is called the mechanical axis.

With bowlegs, that line shifts toward the inner knee, potentially increasing pressure on the cartilage and meniscus. Over time, significant misalignment may contribute to joint discomfort and osteoarthritis.

Full-length standing X-rays help determine whether the bowing originates in the tibia, femur, or both. Measurements such as the mechanical lateral distal femoral angle (mLDFA) and medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) guide surgical planning.

Also Read: Severe Damaging Effects Of Bow Legs With Growing Age

Why Braces and Exercises Cannot Straighten Adult Bowlegs

Many adults try physical therapy, stretching, braces, or shoe inserts before considering surgery. These approaches may improve comfort and mobility, but they cannot permanently reshape mature bones.

During childhood, growth plates allow bones to develop and may permit certain alignment corrections. Once those plates close, exercises and braces cannot change the underlying bone structure.

Physical therapy can still strengthen supporting muscles and improve stability.

An unloader brace may also reduce discomfort by temporarily shifting pressure away from the inner knee. However, its effect lasts only while the brace is worn.

Shoe wedges and orthotics may influence foot mechanics but do not correct adult bowing. Lateral heel wedges are not routinely recommended for medial knee osteoarthritis.

How Bowlegs Can Affect Knee Health

Pronounced bowing increases pressure on the inner portion of the knee. Over time, this may contribute to cartilage thinning, meniscal degeneration, and osteoarthritis.

Symptoms can include inner knee pain, stiffness, and discomfort during prolonged walking or exercise. Changes in walking mechanics may also place additional strain on the ankles, hips, and lower back.

However, bowed legs do not always cause arthritis. The severity of misalignment, existing joint damage, and symptoms help determine whether treatment is necessary.

For suitable patients, corrective osteotomy can redistribute pressure across the knee and potentially delay joint replacement. It cannot restore cartilage that has already been lost.

When Is Osteotomy Recommended for Adult Bowlegs?

Osteotomy is a surgical procedure that involves cutting and repositioning bone to improve alignment.

It may be recommended when significant bowing contributes to persistent pain, functional limitations, or excessive pressure on one knee compartment.

Surgical decisions depend on the deformity's location, severity, cartilage health, and individual treatment goals.

High Tibial Osteotomy (HTO)

High tibial osteotomy corrects alignment in the upper shinbone, just below the knee. It is commonly considered when bowing originates in the tibia.

An opening-wedge osteotomy creates a controlled gap to reposition the bone. A closing-wedge osteotomy removes a measured wedge before bringing the bone surfaces together.

Plates and screws may stabilize the correction. External fixation is another option for selected deformities, allowing support or gradual alignment adjustment.

For appropriate candidates, HTO may improve pain and function while delaying the need for knee replacement.

Distal Femoral Osteotomy (DFO)

When bowing originates in the lower thighbone, distal femoral osteotomy may provide a more accurate correction.

Some deformities involve both the femur and tibia. In these cases, correcting only one bone may create an undesirable knee-joint angle.

Detailed imaging helps Dr. Mahboubian determine the appropriate surgical approach.

Combining Bowleg Correction With Limb Lengthening

Some adults interested in correcting bowlegs also want to increase their height.

Corrective osteotomy and stature lengthening serve different purposes, but they may sometimes be combined.

Internal lengthening technology, including PRECICE systems, uses a telescoping nail to gradually separate bone segments while new bone forms. Compatible devices are operated using an external remote controller.

PRECICE 2 and PRECICE Max have different capabilities. Implant selection depends on anatomy, deformity complexity, and fixation requirements.

Not every deformity is suitable for internal lengthening. Dr. Mahboubian evaluates whether combining correction and additional stature is appropriate.

Also Read: Can Bow Legs Correction Make You Taller?

Can Straightening Bowlegs Make You Taller?

Correcting bowed alignment may slightly increase standing height because straightening the legs changes the vertical distance between the hip and ankle.

The amount varies and cannot be guaranteed.

Patients seeking additional height beyond the change from realignment generally require planned bone lengthening.

During lengthening, bone segments are gradually separated, allowing new bone to develop. The bone then strengthens during consolidation.

This process requires additional monitoring, rehabilitation, and consideration of surgical risks.

Recovery After Bowleg Correction Surgery

Recovery depends on the procedure, fixation method, bone healing, and whether limb lengthening is included.

Weeks 1 to 6: Early Healing

Patients typically focus on swelling control, wound care, and maintaining joint movement. Crutches and weight-bearing restrictions may be necessary while the bone begins healing.

Physical therapy helps maintain mobility and support surrounding muscles.

Months 2 to 4: Improving Strength and Mobility

Follow-up X-rays monitor healing and alignment. Rehabilitation may include stationary cycling, strengthening exercises, and walking practice.

Some patients begin walking without assistance during this period, although progress varies.

Months 6 to 12: Returning to Activities

Higher-impact activities require adequate healing and medical clearance. Physically demanding jobs may require a longer recovery.

Potential complications include infection, blood clots, stiffness, nerve or blood vessel injury, delayed healing, malalignment, and implant problems.

Combined lengthening procedures generally require more extensive rehabilitation.

Your Treatment Journey at the Height Lengthening Institute

Dr. Mahboubian begins by reviewing your symptoms, medical history, walking pattern, and skeletal alignment.

Standing hip-to-ankle imaging helps identify the deformity's location and severity. He then discusses nonsurgical management, tibial or femoral correction, fixation methods, and any separate stature-lengthening goals.

If surgery is recommended, the planned correction is performed using appropriate internal or external fixation.

Follow-up imaging and rehabilitation help monitor healing and restore function. Traveling patients should arrange postoperative appointments and physical therapy in advance.

Why Choose Dr. Shahab Mahboubian?

Dr. Shahab Mahboubian, DO, MPH, received specialized training in limb lengthening and deformity correction at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.

His experience includes bowleg correction, limb-length discrepancy treatment, and cosmetic stature lengthening.

At the Height Lengthening Institute in Burbank, patients receive individualized evaluations based on their alignment, joint health, symptoms, and goals.

The practice serves Los Angeles, Southern California, and patients traveling from across the United States.

Also Read: Everything You Need To Know About Bowleg Correction

Frequently Asked Questions About Adult Bowleg Correction

Can Exercises or Braces Permanently Straighten Adult Bowlegs?

No. Once growth plates close, exercises and braces cannot reshape mature bones. They may improve comfort and stability, but permanent structural correction requires surgery.

How Can Imaging Identify the Source of Bowing?

Standing hip-to-ankle X-rays reveal the mechanical axis. Specialized measurements help determine whether the deformity originates in the tibia, femur, or both.

How Much Height Can Bowleg Correction Add?

Realignment may slightly increase standing height, but results vary. Additional height generally requires planned bone lengthening.

How Do High Tibial Osteotomy and PRECICE Lengthening Differ?

HTO corrects upper-tibia alignment to redistribute knee pressure. PRECICE technology allows gradual bone lengthening in suitable patients. Their goals and recovery requirements differ.

How Long Does Recovery Take?

Recovery varies by procedure and healing progress. Desk work may resume sooner than physically demanding activities. Combined lengthening generally requires longer rehabilitation.

How Do I Schedule a Consultation With Dr. Mahboubian?

Contact the Height Lengthening Institute to request an evaluation. Bring previous knee imaging and relevant medical records, if available.

Schedule Your Bowleg Correction Consultation

If bowed legs are affecting your comfort, mobility, or confidence, a detailed alignment evaluation can help identify your options.

At the Height Lengthening Institute, Dr. Shahab Mahboubian provides individualized assessments for adult genu varum, corrective osteotomy, and suitable limb-lengthening procedures.

Schedule a consultation at our Burbank practice to discuss your alignment, symptoms, and treatment goals.

Disclaimer: This article provides general orthopedic information and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice. Surgical candidacy and treatment recommendations require a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified orthopedic surgeon.