From the beginning crawling to the hobbling road, the child's little by little growth makes parents feel happy, and at the same time, the troubles of growth also come, "How can my child's legs look straight without other people's homes?" "Is this kid O-legged?" "Child's X-shaped legs, with or without leggings?"
What are O-legs vs X-legs? Why do children's leg shapes change around? Is calcium deficiency "trouble"? What conditions require prompt treatment? Are leggings useful at all? Orthopedic experts from Wuhan Union Medical College Hospital came to talk about children's leg development.
Why does a child's leg shape change around?
In the outpatient clinic, pediatric orthopedic doctors often encounter such problems, "Doctor, I recently found that our baby has a bit of looped legs, and the two knees are not together", "Doctor, our child's legs are not straight, the feet are not together, and the walking is eight". In fact, these are common manifestations in children's growth and development.
◎O-shaped leg/knee varus If the ankles on both sides can touch each other and the knees on both sides cannot be brought together, and the distance between the knees is more than 1.5 cm, it is a knee invarus, which is often called O-shaped legs and looped legs.
◎X-shaped leg/knee valgus The child's knees can be brought together, but the feet cannot be brought together, then the knee joint is valgus, commonly known as X-shaped legs.
When some parents saw the picture, their hearts immediately became cold, "My child's legs are not straight!" It's O-legs or X-legs! Do you want to be cured? ”
In fact, under normal circumstances, children will experience the process of O-leg → normal leg shape → X-leg → normal leg shape.
1. Before the age of 1 and a half: O-legs The narrow uterus makes the baby's leg bones slightly curved, so when the baby is born, the baby has O-shaped legs. This state can last until the baby is about <> year old.
Around 2.2 years old: straight legs When the baby begins to walk, the legs will be spread apart to maintain balance, and this position will cause the pressure on the outside of the knee joint to increase, resulting in relatively rapid bone growth on the inside of the knee joint. In addition, the strength of their joint ligaments is still relatively weak and cannot fix the bones, so it will cause external rotation of the calf, and the O-shaped leg will gradually improve, becoming a straight leg around the age of <>.
3.4-3 years old: X-shaped legs Because the process of slow external rotation of the calf continues due to the change of knee force, the baby's legs will gradually become X-shaped legs at the age of 4-<>.
7.8-4 years old: legs begin to straighten At the age of 7-7 years, leg development gradually stabilizes, the X-shaped curvature gradually decreases, and the legs slowly straighten. 8-<> years old, the legs are basically the same as adults.
Of course, each child will have individual differences, parents do not have to worry too much, just wait for growth.
How can I see if my child's O-legs or X-legs are normal?
Although most O-legs and X-legs are normal physiological phenomena during the growth and development of children. However, there are many clinical diseases caused by diseases, such as achondroplasia, arthritis, rickets, etc. If your child has the following problems, parents must be vigilant and take their child to the hospital for examination in time.
1. The leg shape is not consistent with the age group
O legs over 3 years old, X legs over 7 years old, symptoms not only not alleviated, but even more serious, may be pathological deformity.
2. Asymmetry of left and right legs
Normal lower limb development is symmetrical, and if the O-leg or X-leg appears on only one leg, or if the legs are asymmetrical, it can also indicate a disease.
3. The degree of bending of the legs is relatively serious
Parents can use condylar and ankle spacing to roughly assess whether their child's legs are curvature normally. Have your child lie on a hard bed with his knees facing up, slowly bring his legs together, and measure the distance between his or her ankles or knees. If the spacing is less than 3 cm, it is basically normal; The spacing is between 3-6 cm, and it is necessary to continue to observe; If the distance is more than 6 cm, you should take your child to the hospital in time and ask the doctor for further judgment.
Pathological O-leg or X-leg surgery?
Pathological O-leg or X-type leg, first identify the cause and symptomatic treatment. For example, most leg shapes can be recovered after treatment for common rickets.
For other causes such as Blount disease, epiphyseal premature closure, etc., conservative treatment is difficult to cure. At this time, it is best to observe closely and choose the right time to perform the surgery.
Severe knee varus (O/X legs) that do not respond to conservative treatment can only be treated surgically. The operation should choose the right time, neither premature blind surgery, nor allow the deformity to progress arbitrarily, which needs to be judged by a specialist according to the condition, the treatment of the cause is very critical, and the age of surgery is as far as possible to choose about 8 to 10 years old.
In most cases, the classic minimally invasive surgery with small trauma, small scars and fast recovery - "figure-8 plate temporary epiphyseal block" can make the child's leg shape straighten unconsciously. For some serious deformities with obvious deviation in growth potential, the use of Ilizarov stent for osteotomy correction is also an effective method.
Whether surgery can solve the deformity at one time depends on the specific situation, and generally a good orthopedic effect can be obtained after these main surgeries. It should be noted that such patients should be regularly re-examined even after the leg shape becomes straight, after all, it is a deformity that may recur, and timely detection and intervention are still the primary conditions for prevention and treatment.
Such as prevention of children
Abnormal leg shape
1. Stand and walk at the right time
Parents are advised to follow the natural pattern of standing and toddlers. Standing and walking under the action of external force, the way of force is not right, which may affect the development of lower limbs.
2. Ensure adequate vitamin D and calcium
Vitamin D can promote calcium absorption, if the deficiency is easy to lead to rickets, children can be under the guidance of a doctor, appropriate calcium and vitamin D supplementation.
3. Appropriate outdoor activities
Taking children outdoors to increase sun exposure can also promote development and reduce the occurrence of O-legs or X-legs.
In addition, parents should also pay attention to the growth and development of their children, find abnormal situations, and take their children to medical examination in time.
Rumors about O-legs or X-legs
One clarification
1. Can giving your child leggings treat O-legs?
Some people believe that helping your child to have leggings can relieve O-legs or get them back as quickly as possible. But in fact, leggings do not make the child's legs straighter, and X-shaped legs and O-legs are not solved by "leggings". In addition, forced leggings may affect the development of bones, joints, and even developmental hip dislocation.
2. Is the child's O-leg or X-leg the "trouble" of calcium deficiency?
As mentioned earlier, children before the age of 2 will have a little O-shaped legs, and before the age of 6, they may look to have some degree of X-shaped legs, and then return to normal. Some babies suffer from rickets in the case of chronic vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to poor bone development in the legs, showing O-legs or X-shaped legs. In the case of a balanced daily diet, there is generally no calcium deficiency.
3. Do diapers cause O-legs?
Diapers mainly contact the baby's hips and thigh roots, and do not contact the baby's knee joint and calf, saying that diapers affect the baby's leg shape, there is currently no scientific basis.
4. Are O-legs or X-legs necessarily inherited?
In those babies with O-legs or X-legs, congenital inheritance is very small. The vast majority of O-legs or X-legs are caused by improper parenting in infancy and the deformation of the knee joint due to factors such as walking, standing, and poor sitting posture. However, if the parents have O-legs or X-legs caused by congenital metabolic disorders or inherited bone development abnormalities, then there is a high probability that they will be passed on to the child.
Comprehensive Wuhan Union Medical College Hospital public account report original by Renhao Renhao Li