The Best Exercises to Correct Knock Knees
Knock knees is a condition that causes your knees to cave inward and your ankles to form a wide gap between each other.
Most small children will develop knock knees, or genu valgum as it is called in the medical world, as a normal part of their growth process.
By the time the child reaches the age of 7 he or she will have grown out of this knock knee phase.
With that being said, knocked knees usually isn’t something for small children to worry about because they’ll eventually grow out of it.
However, in some cases the knock knee phase doesn’t correct itself for some people.
For some people this lower leg deformity continues to persist long after their adolescent years.
Knock Knees in Adults
When it comes to knock knees in adults it’s usually an underlying cause that is allowing the genu valgum to persist.
Finding out the underlying cause of the knocked knees is vital in order to take the necessary steps to correct it.
Knock Knee Causes
Obesity – Obesity isn’t a direct cause of knock knees but the excessive pressure the extra weight puts on the knees can definitely contribute to the deformity.
Genetic Conditions – Certain conditions that are primarily due to genetics like skeletal dysplasias can sometimes cause the development of lower leg deformities like knock knees and bow legs.
Fracture – A fracture in the legs can sometimes lead to the development of knock knees if the fracture doesn’t heal properly.
Bone Infection – An infection in the bone area around the knees can cause them to begin to turn inward. One of the most common bone infections to cause knock knees is called osteomyelitis.
These are just some of the most commonly seen causes of knock knees in adults.
Knock Knee Correction Exercises
When it comes to treatment knock knee exercises are definitely worth a try.
These exercises help by strengthening your muscles that keep your legs supported.
Along with helping to push your knees back into a properly aligned angle, these exercises will help give you relief from symptoms such as back and ankle pain, notes My Knock Knee Fix.
Some of the best exercises to correct knock knees include:
Clamshells
Clamshells are a great exercise for people with knock knees because it strengthens the hips which plays a big role in how well your legs stay aligned.
To do clamshells properly follow the steps below:
- Lay down on your side while keeping your heels together. You want your heels, shoulders, and hips to stay in a straight line.
- Now go ahead and lift the leg that’s on top upward about 3 inches without rotating your hips.
- As soon as you bring your leg upward as far as it will go while still keeping your ankles together and not moving your hips, go ahead and immediately bring it back down.
Do about 10 reps of this clamshell exercise and then switch sides and repeat.
The main thing about doing this simple knock knee exercise is not rotating your hips while you do it.
Piriformis Stretch
The piriformis stretch is another great exercise to correct knock knees because it engages your hamstrings and hip, which both play a role in the severity of your genu valgum.
To do this exercise follow the steps below:
- First, lay down on your back with both of your feet laying flat on the ground. Bend both of your knees and then pull your right knee upwards to your chest.
- Now, hold the knee up at your chest with your left hand and pull it upwards towards you.
- Hold this stretched position for at least 10 seconds and then release and return to the starting position.
- Switch to the other knee and then repeat the steps above.
Make sure you do about 10 reps with each leg to get the most out of this exercise.
Conclusion
These are some of the best exercises to correct knock knees in adults. The key is to stay consistent with these exercises to get the most benefit out of them.