Patient's question:
My thighs are positioned relatively far apart, and when walking, my knees tend to turn inward. My two ankles cannot come together, and I feel this is not good, so I want to correct it. At what age is it best to treat X-shaped legs?Doctor's answer:
Most children aged 2 to 6 will self-correct without treatment. Severe genu varum is particularly common in children under 8. X-shaped legs refer to varus deformity and developmental varus deformity. For obese children and pathological genu varum, a varus orthosis can be used during the day. The purpose is to prevent knee ligament instability and to control weight on the distal femur, proximal tibia, and lateral epiphysis. The orthosis should only be used for 1-2 years. When there is no weight-bearing at night and treatment is ineffective, surgery is not appropriate.