Why does a newborn have legs with a wheel. How to straighten your legs with exercises

Often there is such a pathology as the legs with a wheel in a child. For many parents, there is quite obvious excitement about this. Consider when the pathology should not cause alarm, and when you should go to the orthopedist. And also, what to do if the child has a wheeled leg.

Characteristics of the disease

O-shaped legs have an ICD classification number 10 - 21.0. The legs of a wheel in a newborn are physiological in nature. This is due to the intrauterine development of the child, during which his legs take a forced position, slightly arched in an arc. At first, in a newborn, the limbs still adhere to the usual shape. Over time muscle tone decreases, they straighten.

On a note!
If parents notice a curvature of the legs, then it is necessary to consult a pediatric orthopedist who will determine whether this is a pathology.

The mechanism of the development of the disease

By the age of 2-3 years, the O-shape of the legs should disappear. By this age, a slight curvature of the lower leg may remain. At the initial stage of varus curvature, the external femoral condyle increases with a reduced internal one. The interarticular gap becomes different. In the inner part it narrows, in the outer part it increases. Because of what there is pressure on the meniscus, the ligaments are stretched outside the joint, the heels are deflected inward.

Over time, the disease progresses, a compensatory reaction of the body is formed, in which the feet are deformed. In a severe stage of pathology, the lower legs change their location inward, the hips outward. As a result, flexion at the knees is limited, gait is disturbed, and the child gets tired. The load is incorrectly distributed due to a shift in the center of gravity, posture worsens, and the spine is bent.

Up to what age is curvature normal?

In a healthy child, O-shaped legs may be observed during the first year of life. Until the ligaments and muscles, whose role is to maintain the skeleton, are sufficiently strong lower extremities. Usually, a child's legs with a wheel at 1 year old are characterized by slight curvature, which is a variant of the norm, he is like a clubfoot. By 3-4 years, this phenomenon should pass and there is no need to engage in treatment.

If after this age the problem remains, then it is necessary to visit a pediatrician and an orthopedist. Attention should be paid to the pathology in order to prevent leg fatigue, pain and heaviness when walking. As a result, the child limits walking, deformation of the skeleton and excess weight gain occurs. Parents need to consult a doctor in the following cases:

If children over 3 years of age have wheeled legs;
Feet too turned inward;
There is an external difference between the legs.

Only an orthopedist will be able to give accurate information about whether O-shaped legs are a pathology.

Causes

A pediatric orthopedist will be able to tell exactly why a child has a wheeled leg. Usually this pathology occurs for the following reasons:

Rickets, which is a dangerous disease that leads to damage to the lower extremities. It develops due to an insufficient amount of vitamin D, as a result, the lower leg is deformed, the legs are bent;
Any stress on the baby in the first year of life should occur as his muscles and ligaments develop. Any advance in physiological readiness causes deformation of the legs. Some parents force the baby, who has not reached six months, to sit down and walk until the age of one. This has a negative effect on the musculoskeletal system. Often, wheeled feet are found in children who have begun to walk by 9 months. Any action of the child must be independent;
Dysplasia is most often diagnosed in the hospital. This disease not only leads to the curvature of the legs, but also has a negative effect on the entire body;
Excess weight in the crumbs is an obstacle to the development of important skills, causes deformation of the legs. If the baby is not thin, then he must take the first steps on his own. Since the presence of excess weight gives additional pressure on the undeveloped skeletal system;
Sometimes O-shaped legs are linked to genetics. This problem is inherited;
Wrong shoes. At given location the child has to put his feet in such a way that it does not hurt him to walk. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the choice of shoes.

Komarovsky's opinion

The well-known pediatrician Komarovsky denies the negative impact of rickets on the musculoskeletal system. He argues that the development of the problem is influenced by a hereditary factor, kidney disease, which leads to poor absorption of minerals by the body. Komarovsky gives the following advice to parents to avoid clubfoot:

It is important to ensure that the child receives proper nutrition, all the necessary vitamins and minerals;
Water procedures will help relieve increased muscle tone;
To prepare for walking, you should massage the outer, inner side of the lower leg, foot;
After bathing, it is good to massage the feet with a stiff brush;
Two feet joined together good exercise for the muscular apparatus;
Finding a child in an upright position strengthens his legs and back;
A fat baby needs more time before walking.

Treatment

Physiotherapy, which includes paraffin therapy on the feet, electrophoresis with calcium;
Special devices in the form of orthopedic insoles, correctors, insoles;
Massage with an O-shaped curvature of the legs in a child should begin with the lumbar zone, then moving on to the buttocks and sacrum. Then the specialist continues the procedure on the back of the thigh, lower leg, tendon, sole. At the end of massaging the bones of the back of the legs, the movements move to the front area.

Physiotherapy

Physical therapy plays a special role in the treatment of O-shaped legs in children. In the course of classes, the shape of the foot is corrected, the muscular apparatus is strengthened. The following exercises will help you achieve the desired result:

Turn the soles of the feet inward;
Bend the part of the foot that is not in contact with the floor;
Bend the sole;
Bend your toes;
Hold objects between the feet;
Produce rotational movements left foot counterclockwise, right foot clockwise;
Make herringbone movements;
Walk on heels;
Sit with your feet apart.

Approximate complex

With help simple complex exercises you can get rid of the O-shaped legs. The exercises are listed below in their order of execution:

Alternating walking on toes and heels for at least 2 minutes;
Walking with support only on the outside of the legs, then on the inside for no more than 2 minutes on each side;
The child sits on a chair, his hands are at his waist, his legs reach the floor. Fingers should be pulled up, then bent down. The exercise is performed for at least 2 minutes;
Sitting on a chair, the baby alternately wipes one foot with the other from the bottom up. Each leg must perform at least 6 movements;
The child is sitting on a chair. Small items are scattered around it. His task is to grab the object with the fingers of the lower extremities and hold it for several seconds. You can perform the exercise separately with the left, separately with the right foot. After both;
The kid sits on a chair, a ball is located nearby. His task is to roll the ball back and forth, from the right side to the left. Next, he should try to lift the ball with his feet and hold for a while;
The baby sits on a chair, there is a stick under his feet. He needs to put his feet on a stick and roll it forward. It is necessary to ensure that the entire foot is involved;
The child needs to sit in a yoga position. Right - under the left. He should try to get up from the floor with only his feet. Then you should change the location of the limbs;
Walking on a log without shoes;
Ascents and descents on the Swedish wall.

For safety, adults need to be within walking distance of the child.

Wheel-shaped curvature of the lower extremities can be a sign of pathology and physiological features. Only a specialist can deal with this process and prescribe treatment.

Newborns often have a slight curvature of the legs. If by three, by a maximum of five years, the defect does not disappear, it must be corrected. In addition to the psychological factor, a person also has physical problems. When the legs are deformed, the load on the knee joint is unevenly distributed, which leads to osteoarthritis and flat feet.

Why does a child have legs with an X or a wheel. We analyze the causes of curvature

Orthopedists distinguish 2 main types of deformity of the lower extremities - O-shaped and X-shaped.

The cause of the curvature of the legs in a child can be factors such as:

Causes of pathology		Curvature shape
Heredity	The structural features of the body, and, accordingly, the curvature of the legs can be laid down at the gene level and transmitted from parents to children. Correct such curvature can, at times, only through surgical intervention.	X-shape
Rickets	A disease associated with a lack of vitamin D in the body of a child leads to a violation of the formation and growth of bone tissue. The bones of the baby become softer and bend under his weight.	Both types of deformation
Early loads on the lower extremities	Each age of the child corresponds to certain skills. . Many parents want their baby to get on their feet faster or take their first independent steps. Early use or driving by the handles puts more stress on weak legs and causes them to twist. This is especially true in overweight children. .	X-shape
Deforming osteochondrosis (Blount's disease)	A congenital disease that leads to a curvature of the legs in the form of a wheel. More often than others, leg deformity occurs in girls who are overweight. .	O-shape

Even our grandmothers, in order for the child's legs to be straight, used tight swaddling. However, it has been scientifically proven that this is not true. In fact, with a tight contraction of the legs of a newborn, a dangerous disease can occur - .

How to independently determine the curvature of the legs in children

If the baby's legs are curved strongly enough, then this can be seen with the naked eye. To determine even slight deviations from the norm, ask the child to stand up straight and connect the heels together.

Compare the baby's legs with the diagram below:

As can be seen from the drawings, the child's legs can be normal, X-shaped or O-shaped. If your child is not yet 3 years old, then his legs may be in the shape of the letter "O". At an older age, X-shaped deformities of the lower extremities are more often observed.

We treat the X-shaped curvature of the child's legs

Doctors advise starting the correction of the legs in the form of the letter "X" as early as possible.

Pathological abnormalities are cured completely if the child has not yet reached school age, and treatment should begin no later than 2 years.

For the correction of the lower extremities, methods such as:

Massotherapy	Only a specialist should conduct treatment sessions . The procedures include massage not only of the child's legs, but also of the back, buttocks and lumbar regions. It is recommended to conduct 4 courses per year. Under the guidance of a doctor, you can master several simple tricks (incapable of harming the baby) and additionally use massage at home.
electrical stimulation	Current treatment is used when, in addition to the curvature of the lower leg, deformation of the feet is observed. . Impulses with a current strength of 50 mA of different duration (from 0.5 to 300 ms) pass through the legs, excite cells and stimulate motor activity muscles.
Physiotherapy	Exercises are aimed at strengthening the muscles of the legs, back and correcting deformities. Therapeutic gymnastics consists of a number of exercises: Walking . It is useful for a kid to often run barefoot in the summer (on sand, small pebbles, shells). Teach your child to walk on the outer edges of the arch of the foot. Useful walking on ribbed surfaces. grips . Use your toes to grasp pieces of cloth or small objects in both a sitting and standing position. Sitting in a Turkish position and getting up from it unaided with alternating legs. You can sit in Turkish not only during gymnastics. Full foot squats , and then only on the toes.
Orthopedic shoes	It is a preventive measure after correcting a defect in the legs. The shoes are made to order, equipped with a solid back and an orthopedic insole that repeats the shape of the child's foot. Medical shoes should: Tightly (but not rigidly) wrap around the foot and ankle joint. To be with a small heel . Must have insole - arch support and sole roll.
Physical activity	The best medicine is the mobility of the baby. He should walk more - run, jump, play outdoor games. Can be purchased for babies Swedish wall. In addition, it is useful to jump while sitting on a large ball or walk along a ladder lying on the floor. Children with X-shaped legs are useful for swimming and any games in the water. . During outdoor games and exercises, it is necessary to exclude a long-term load of the weight of the baby's body on the knees and ankle joints while helping to strengthen the musculoskeletal system.

To make the child interested, turn morning exercises with exercises that help correct the shape of the legs, into a fun game:

Invite the baby to walk like a clumsy bear. This will allow the child to stomp on the outside of the foot.
Let the kid try himself as a tightrope walker . Walking along a narrow plank or path of flat figures, the baby will put his feet closer to one another.
Remind your child of a friend oriental tale And offer to sit like a Turkish sultan .

Important! With an X-shaped curvature of the legs, it is not recommended to stand for a long time, especially with legs wide apart. This position increases the displacement of the knees inward and the breeding of the feet outward.

Features of the treatment of O-shaped (varus) deformity of the legs in children

Deformity of the legs in the form of the letter "O" should be treated as soon as the first signs of pathology appear. Otherwise, the child has a violation of gait, he often falls, cannot walk long distances. In addition, the baby's spine suffers and the posture is bent.

Varus deformity of the limbs causes:

Uneven development knee joints.
squeezing inner meniscus.
Extension joint space on the outside and narrows on the inside.
Development clubfoot.
stretching ligaments that strengthen the knee joint.

Treatment of O-shaped deformity takes a lot of time, so parents need to be patient and follow all the instructions of the orthopedic doctor.

In the treatment, a whole range of measures are used, which are carried out as directed and under the supervision of specialists:

Physiotherapy	Children are assigned calcium electrophoresis paraffin boots
Orthopedic fixtures	Special shoes and devices are prescribed by the orthopedist after examining the child . In each individual case, he recommends using arch supports, correctors (splints) or special insoles.
Complex massage	With varus deformity, the procedure is carried out in combination with a general tonic body massage. A lot of attention is paid to the lumbar part of the spine, since from there the nerve endings go to the gluteal zone and leg muscles. In this case, the following massage sequence is used: Back area in the lumbar region . Gluteal area and sacrum . Back side of the leg (thigh, lower leg, Achilles tendon and sole). Front of the leg (surface of the foot from the back, ankle and lower leg joints, knee joint and thigh).
Physiotherapy	Gymnastic exercises help to correct the shape of the foot and strengthen the muscles. Exercise therapy helps to increase the effect of massage procedures. With varus pathology with a baby, you need to do the following exercises: Supination of the foot - turn the legs with the sole inward. Bend the back of the foot. Bend the sole. Bend your fingers. Keep toys between the feet in an elevated state of the legs. Rotate the feet, right foot - clockwise, and left in the other direction. Walk along the path in the form of a Christmas tree (in summer, the path can be trodden on the sand, and in winter - on the snow). Walking on heels . It is useful for the baby to sit more often in the “between the heels” position. For this child, you need to put on your knees, push your feet apart with your socks apart and sit down between them.

Gymnastics with X-shaped and O-shaped curvature of the legs in children

If a child has a pronounced curvature of the legs in the form of the letter X or O, you should not hope that with age everything will go away and the legs will accept normal form. Curvature can and should be fought. One of effective ways is physiotherapy. A simple set of exercises will help to cope with the irregular shape of children's legs.

Exercise 1 . Alternate walking on toes and heelsX . Designate a short path for the child, for example, from wall to wall in the room. To make it more interesting for the child, let the baby first walk in one direction on his toes, and in the opposite direction - on his heels. Then - half the track on the toes, half on the heels. By the end of the exercise, you can alternate 5 steps on the heels and 5 on the toes. The total duration is 2-3 minutes.

Exercise 2 . bear clumsy . Show your child how to walk using only the outside or inside of the foot. You can perform the exercise in the same way as walking on toes and heels - alternating leg positions. The duration of the lesson is no more than 3 minutes.

Exercise 3 . We dangle our legs . IP (starting position) - sitting on a chair. The arms rest on the waist, the legs should reach the floor. First, pull the fingers up, then bend down. We repeat several times. We put the feet alternately on the outer and inner side. The total duration of the exercise is 1-2 minutes.

Exercise 4 . Rubbing foot to foot . IP - sitting on a chair, legs slightly raised. With the foot of the left foot, we try to wipe the right foot from the bottom up, then with the foot of the right foot - the left. Repeat the exercise 6-8 times with each leg.

Exercise 5 . We perform captures . IP - sitting on a chair. Small objects are laid out next to the chair, under the feet - pencils, pebbles, small soft toys and rags. You need to grab any object with your toes and hold it for as long as possible. You need to perform the exercise alternately with the left, then with the right foot, and then with both legs at once. The duration of the exercise is 2-4 minutes.

Exercise 6 . You will need a ball to complete the task. . IP - sitting on a chair. The ball is placed under the feet. First, with the left, then with the right foot, they roll the ball forward - backward, left - right. After several repetitions, they grab the ball with the insides of the feet and try to lift and hold it above the floor. The total duration of the exercise is 2-3 minutes.

Exercise 7 . IP - sitting on a chair . Put a stick of small thickness under your feet (you can use a regular rolling pin). Put your feet on it and roll the stick back and forth. In this case, the entire foot should be involved - from the heel to the fingers. The duration of the lesson is 1-2 minutes.

Atexercise 8 . IP - sitting on the floor in Turkish . At first, the child sits in a yoga position (left foot on the right) for no more than 2 minutes. The task of the child is to rise from the floor, relying only on the legs. At the same time, an adult stands behind him, supporting him by the hands. Changing the position of the legs (right to left), the exercise is repeated. The duration of the lesson is 2-3 minutes.

Exercise 9 . Walking on a log . In the cool season at home, and in the summer on the street, the child should walk barefoot on a log. At the same time, parents are nearby and insure the baby. The duration of the exercise is 2-4 minutes.

Exercise 10 . We use the Swedish wall . The child rises and falls sports equipment barefoot for 2-3 minutes. For the safety of the child, adults must insure.

Possible Complications – When is Surgery Necessary?

The intervention of a surgeon in the pathology of the shape of the legs in children is used in only 7% of cases of the total number of pathologies. The operation is prescribed when conservative methods of treatment have not led to the desired result or when the form of the disease is advanced.

With a valgus foot, modern medicine after surgery allows you to do without gypsum and metal devices. The surgeon changes the angle between the bones and straightens the ligaments. Already on the second day after such an operation, the child can walk independently. Surgical intervention is resorted to no earlier than the child reaches 6-7 years of age .

In order not to bring the situation to the point of surgery, contact an orthopedist at the first sign of a curvature of the baby's legs.

Crooked legs are a defect that occurs in many women and men. IN childhood- this is normal. But over time, in girls and women, such a defect as crooked and ugly legs can bring a lot of inconvenience and complexes. Doctors distinguish between O-shaped legs (varus curvature) and X-shaped curvature of the legs (valgus).

Imperfect leg shape may not mean that you have crooked legs. Therefore, first you need to figure out whether you really have a similar defect. You can determine the presence of a curvature at home on your own. Stand up straight with your back completely against the wall (shoulders, buttocks and heels should be firmly pressed to the plane).

Look closely at your reflection in the mirror. Legs that touch each other in four places are considered normal: mid-thigh, knees, mid-calf and heels. In some cases, excessive thinness or fullness can affect the visible picture and there may be fewer or more “windows”.

If there are no deviations in the indicated indicators, then the problem under consideration is most likely far-fetched. What can not be said if the number of gaps is more or less. In this case, you need to see a doctor who can accurately determine the presence of a problem. The types of curvature of the legs are described in the table.

The reasons why curvature of the legs occur can be varied.

The main reason is heredity. If one of the parents has a similar defect, then the likelihood that the child will have crooked legs is very high. Lack of calcium and vitamin D in the body can also lead to leg deformity.

In adulthood, the disease can appear in women due to pregnancy. X-shaped legs provide better pelvic support when carrying a baby. In men, X-shaped legs are often due to obesity. Also, X-shaped legs in men can be associated with regular weight lifting.

Professional participation in some sports can also lead to the defect in question (for example, in male football players). Congenital or acquired weakness of the muscles and ligaments of the lower extremities are also common causes of the problem. Lack of regular physical activity, a sedentary lifestyle are the main factors due to which the development of the disease begins.

Features of X-shaped and O-shaped curvatures

X-legs and O-legs are very common problems among millions of adults. Crooked legs are not only a cosmetic defect. In addition to worries and excessive focus on such a flaw as crooked legs, it can also have a serious negative impact on the health of the whole organism.

The fact is that with such a deformation, the load on the knee joints is unevenly distributed, which leads to wear on one side of the cartilage. It can even cause a person's disability. The curvature of the letter X or O can also provoke the appearance of flat feet.

A slight inclination of the knees inward is normal. The angle of deviation of the lower leg in men is about 7 degrees. In women, it is more - up to 10 degrees. In X-shaped curvature, the knees are tightly adjacent to each other, and there is a large distance between the ankles. The O-shaped curvature of the legs is characterized by the contact of the limbs only in the area of the feet.

Crooked legs are normal in children. The knee joint is deformed in such a way that the ends of the femur and tibia bend inward or outward. But it is necessary to constantly monitor the development of pathology and regularly do examinations with a doctor. Until the age of 14, the child's skeleton can be corrected with the help of special exercises, massages and orthopedic devices.

At adult women and men, the defect is corrected only with the help of surgery. False curvature of the legs is characterized by a curvature of soft tissues, not bone. Insufficient muscle volume visually distorts the legs and spoils them appearance. In such cases, classes in gym for pumping unexpressed or weak muscles.

It is impossible to pump up muscles under the knee. Therefore, the cavity is filled with a silicone implant, which is installed during plastic surgery. But such an operation is completely optional, and is carried out only if any imperfections prevent a person from living. Surgery for true curvature is necessary in most cases.

The main tool in the fight against this problem for many decades has been the Ilizarov apparatus. Before installing the device, a bone is cut, which is then fixed with this device in an anatomically correct position.

It is good when a person does not have any complexes about his appearance, but he must be attentive to his body. At the slightest manifestations and alarming symptoms, you should consult a doctor. This is especially important in childhood, when it is still possible to correct the situation without resorting to surgery.

The correct formation of the foot and the shape of the legs occurs in childhood and adolescence. Parents should pay attention to how the child puts his feet when walking. It is necessary to examine the shoes, if one of the sides of the sole is badly worn out, you should contact a medical institution and find out the opinion of an orthopedist on this situation. The sooner this is done, the more effective the result will be. Scheduled examinations by a specialist are carried out at 1 month, 1 year, 2 years, etc.

The main causes of leg deformity

The causes of curvature of the legs and incorrect position of the foot in children can be various factors:

Early walking.

The child begins to take the first steps ahead of schedule established by the norms of development of children. The most optimal age at which the child begins to walk is 9-12 months. Sometimes the parents themselves contribute to this, forgetting that the skeletal bones at this age are soft and flexible and are subject to deformation under increased loads. By nature, it is laid down in such a way that in order to prepare a child for walking, he first masters crawling, thereby strengthening the muscles of the back, arms and legs. Therefore, it is not necessary to push the child too early to master the skill of walking, it is necessary to wait until he is ready for this, the development of each baby is individual.

Rickets.

If the child sweats heavily, hair falls out, there is a curvature of the legs, there is a noticeable stunting, these symptoms may indicate the presence of this disease. The main reason is the lack of vitamin D, which is necessary for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus by the body. Nutrients are removed from the body, the bones become soft and deformed.

For the treatment of rickets, children are prescribed vitamin complexes and preparations with fish oil(well absorbed water-soluble vitamin D - "Akvadetrim"), physiotherapy with the help of ultraviolet irradiation. If the child is breastfed, then a diet rich in foods containing calcium and phosphorus is prescribed for the mother - eating fish, cheese, and sour-milk products. For the prevention of rickets, daily walks are recommended. fresh air.

Overweight.

Often the curvature of the legs can be observed in chubby children. The greater the weight, the greater the load on the legs and the greater the degree of deformation of the feet and lower legs. To determine the body mass index, you need to divide the baby's weight (in kg) by height (in m 2). It is considered normal if the resulting number is in the range of 14-16, if it exceeds - there is excess weight. It is necessary to revise the diet in favor of natural products (meat, cereals, vegetables), exclude semi-finished products, canned foods, cook food in boiled and stewed form.

Wearing inappropriate shoes.

In childhood, when the arch of the foot is formed, it is strictly forbidden to wear shoes with flat soles, they should be comfortable, with a hard high back and a special cushion on the insole, with a wide low heel, made according to GOST for children's shoes.

Congenital hip dysplasia.

Some young mothers believe that using diapers leads to a curvature of the child's legs. Dr. Komarovsky claims that there is no connection between wearing diapers and crooked legs in a child. Now the practice of "free" swaddling is recognized, when the legs of a newborn child are bred to the sides. Pediatricians and orthopedists are confident that this position is physiologically natural and has a positive effect on the correct formation of the hip joint.

Types of curvature

Orthopedists classify two main types of curvature of the legs: X-shaped (valgus) and O-shaped (varus). A strong curvature with a large amplitude immediately catches the eye, but a slight one can be checked like this:

It is necessary that the child stand up straight, connect the inner sides of the knees. If the ankles are at a distance from each other, not touching, or if, when connecting the feet and ankles, one knee comes over the other, then there is an X-shaped curvature with valgus deformity of the foot.
If, when drawing together the feet, the knees are at a considerable distance from each other, then this is an O-shaped curvature (colloquially - “legs with a wheel”).

What to do to eliminate curvature?

The curvature of the legs is not only an aesthetic problem, but also an orthopedic one. Children who have a curvature get tired quickly, pain occurs in the limbs, the knee joints can be deformed, the load on the spine increases, and an incorrect posture is formed.

The bones of a child are plastic, so the sooner a defect is detected and the correct treatment is started, the more likely it is to be corrected. The orthopedist prescribes a combination of several types of procedures.

Type of procedure	Description
Massage	General. Special attention is given to massaging the lumbosacral region, because there are nerve endings leading to gluteal muscles and leg muscles. Foot massage. The back part is being worked out (thigh, lower leg, inner part foot) and front of the leg (foot outside, ankle, shin, knees, thigh)
Massage
Physiotherapy procedures	"Paraffin boots" - ozocerite "cakes", heated to a certain temperature, are placed on the baby's legs and wrapped in a blanket, the procedure takes 15-20 minutes. Amplipulse. Electrophoresis with calcium chloride
Orthopedic appliances	Inserts, arch supports or special insoles. It will be more effective if they are made to order according to the cast of the child's legs.
Physiotherapy	A set of exercises

Exercises to eliminate a defect in the legs

In uncomplicated cases of curvature with simple exercises you can achieve a positive result:

"Clumsy bear". Walking alternately on inside feet, then - on the outside for 3-5 minutes.
Walk alternation. For greater interest, come up with routes. Let the baby walk the path from the door to the window in one direction on the heels, back on the toes, or walk half the distance on the toes, the rest of the way on the heels. Run time - 3 minutes.
Stroking legs one against the other. The child, sitting on a chair, first rubs his right leg with his left foot, and then vice versa. Exercise is done 8-10 times.
Ball exercise. The child sits on a chair with a ball under his feet. He begins to roll it on the floor “forward back”, “right-left”, first with one foot, then with the other. Then you need to grab the ball with your feet from the inside and lift it above the floor, trying not to drop it. Time to complete - 3-5 minutes.
"Captures". Small objects (buttons, pencils) are placed in front of the child, he should try to grab them with his toes (alternately left right) and hold them. Duration - 3-4 minutes.
"Rock". Sitting on a chair, the baby rolls with his feet - alternately right-left, then - with both a wooden stick (you can take an ordinary rolling pin), fully uses the entire foot, including the heel and toes.
"Flexible Fingers" The child sits on a chair, feet touch the floor. First, the toes of the feet are pulled up, then lowered down. Repeat 10 times.
"Scissors". The exercise is done lying down. The child lies on the mat with his back and begins to raise his legs as high as possible, performing leg swings similar to the work of scissors (left over right and vice versa).
Walking on the balance beam. The child moves along the projectile, preferably barefoot or in thin socks with an adult's safety net.
"Turkish". The child sits down like a yogi (the left leg rests on the right, the legs change alternately), then gets up from the floor without the help of hands, the adult secures from behind.
Walking barefoot on a massage mat consisting of plastic squares with different types surfaces.

Classes physical therapy strengthen muscles and help correct the irregular shape of the feet and legs, enhance the effect of massage.

Radical correction methods

Surgical intervention is prescribed in rare cases when the problem with the curvature of the legs has not been eliminated despite a set of measures taken or with complex congenital pathologies.

With a "valgus foot" the surgeon straightens the ligaments and changes the angle between the bones of the arch. Thanks to modern methods the next day after the operation, the patient can walk. In surgical practice, the Ilizarov apparatus is also used.

This is a structure consisting of steel spokes, with the help of which they recreate correct position bones.

In order not to resort to the help of surgeons to correct the curvature of the legs, you need to carefully monitor the development of your children. With a timely visit to an orthopedist and compliance with all the rules of the prescribed treatment, there is a chance to correct the existing defects in the structure of the legs without surgery.

Many parents are wondering at what age the curvature of the child's legs can become an alarming sign, what degree of curvature can be considered an acceptable norm?

Ideally, when straightening the legs of the baby, the inner sides of the ankles and knee joints should converge. But up to a certain limit, the curvature of the legs in a small child is a physiological norm.

Causes of curvature of the legs in children

A newborn baby has crooked legs because for a long time he was in the womb in a compact position. Over time, this curvature disappears because there are no more obstacles that restrict freedom of movement. Then the child begins to make independent attempts to take a vertical position and walk. The skeleton of a small child is still very plastic, and the load on cartilage, ligaments, muscles increases. Until the child's musculoskeletal system has adapted to the new conditions, the legs may bend slightly.

Approximately up to the year of the child, an O-shaped curvature of the legs is observed, while the child slightly clubfoot. By the age of three, the legs can take on an X-shape, that is, when the knees are brought together, the feet are separated from each other by a considerable distance. The reason for this is the weakness of the muscular and ligamentous apparatus. Often the provoking factor is the overweight of the child. By the age of five, the curvature of the child's legs usually levels off.

In any case, it is necessary to discuss the curvature of the child's legs with a doctor. A pediatrician or orthopedist should monitor whether the curvature of the legs is the result of diseases and prescribe therapeutic measures to get rid of the defect.

Among the diseases that cause curvature of the legs, the most famous are rickets and Blount's disease.

Blount's disease is congenital and manifests itself at about 2–3 years of age. Damage to the cartilage of both legs leads to curvature. In the first stages, I use plaster bandages, massage and exercises for treatment, in the later stages - surgical intervention.

In childhood, it is quite possible to correct the curvature of the legs with conservative methods.

When rickets is detected, the first thing to do is to fight against a lack of vitamin D by taking medications prescribed by a doctor. Most often, doctors prescribe vitamin D3 preparations;
Additionally, physiotherapy exercises, massage, physiotherapy procedures are prescribed to strengthen the muscular apparatus and the skeletal system;
Normalize the daily routine of the child, providing a good rest and walks in the fresh air;
If by the age of 2-3 years the legs do not straighten, then plaster casts can be used.

Foot massage

It is necessary to carry out massotherapy at least four times a year in courses of 15-20 procedures. If it is carried out by a specialist, then this is an extremely effective method.

With an O-shaped curvature, the knee joint has an abnormal development. On the inside of it, the ligaments spasm, and on the outside they stretch. During the massage, the lower leg with outside massage more intensively, as the muscles there are stretched and weak. The inner side should be massaged easily, stroking is used to relieve tension. To correct itself knee joint when performing a massage, they press on it from the outside.
With an X-shaped curvature, the opposite picture can be observed. The ligaments are spasmodic on the outside. Therefore, the muscles of the thigh and outer surface the lower legs try to relax, and the inner one - to strengthen. X-shaped curvature is more difficult to treat, it can be corrected only under the age of three years.

In addition, you can at home give the child a light massage on their own. For this, the baby is laid on the back and stroking and rubbing from the fingers and feet towards the knee is performed. Then kneading movements and light pats are made in the same direction. With an X-shaped curvature, movements are performed along the inside of the leg, with an O-shaped curvature, along the outside.

Treatment according to Komarovsky

The well-known pediatrician Komarovsky believes that rickets is a fairly rare disease, and if a child is breastfed, happens to be in the fresh air, then he receives a sufficient dose of vitamin D, and many of the symptoms taken as signs of rickets are actually not. Therefore, we recommend that you read the symptoms of rickets according to Komarovsky.

Serious diseases that can lead to curvature of the legs are, as a rule, rare congenital pathologies associated with a violation of the metabolism and absorption of calcium and phosphorus, for example, kidney disease, in which they cannot retain calcium in the body.

Dr. Komarovsky believes that it is impossible to force a child to sit and walk, the later he begins to take a vertical position, the stronger his legs and the smoother his back will be. Only the crawling of the child should be encouraged. If the child is healthy, and the only thing that worries parents is the curvature of the baby's legs, then most often we are talking about hereditary anatomy.

If the clinical picture really corresponds to rickets, and laboratory tests have confirmed it, treatment is necessary.

In infants, rickets is treated with cholecalciferol at a daily dosage of 2000-4000 IU. After the symptoms disappear, the dose is reduced. If rickets is caused by impaired absorption, then the doses of the drug are significantly increased. Sometimes calcium gluconate and potassium phosphate are introduced into the diet to help cholecalciferol. Dosages are determined by the doctor.

During treatment, monitoring of calcium in the blood and in the urine is necessary.

Surgical correction of the curvature of the legs is performed in extremely rare cases: if before the age of 3-4 years it was not possible to solve the problem of curvature, when one leg is shorter than the other, when the curvature interferes with walking or is the result of trauma. In all other cases, with the help of taking vitamins, massage and gymnastics, it is quite possible to straighten the child's legs.