Hesperian Health Guides
Chapter 11: Club Feet, Flat Feet, Bow Legs, and Knock-Knees
What Is Typical and What Is Not?
Sometimes parents worry because they think a part of their child’s body is abnormal. But in small children, often what seems unusual is actually rather typical,and will get better as the child grows. For this reason, it is important to know what variations may be problems and which are likely not.
Note: For children born with parts of their bodies missing or shortened, see Chapter 12 on disabilities present at birth.
| 1. Many children are born with their feet somewhat bent or crooked. To learn the difference between a bend caused by the baby’s position in the womb, and true club feet, see the next page. |  |
CURVED FEET: TYPICAL in the first weeks or months of life | |
| ‘FLAT’ FEET: TYPICAL until age 2 |  |
2. When most babies begin to walk, they walk on the insides of their feet, with their legs wide apart. Also their feet still have baby fat on the bottom. As a result, the feet look very flat. In nearly all cases, they will get better by themselves. | |
| 3. A baby’s legs often bend outward (“bow legs”), like this. This bending starts to disappear at the age of 18 months. Then the legs slowly straighten until they actually bend inward a little, like this. |  |
BOW LEGS: NORMAL until about 18 months |
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| KNOCK-KNEES: TYPICAL between 2 and 12 years |  |
4. This “knock-kneed” position generally develops around age 2. By age 5 or 6 the knees begin to straighten. | |
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Note: Children with brain injury sometimes develop a “knock-knee” way of standing or walking. If the child with knock-knees also moves or walks in a stiff or jerky way, or shows other problems, check for signs of brain injury (see Examining The Nervous System and Chapter 9 on cerebral palsy).
IMPORTANT! In any child who develops bow legs or knock-knees, check for signs of rickets and other bone problems. See Chapter 13.
This page was updated:25 Nov 2024