The little one has gone! How many joyful emotions and pleasant excitement this feat brings to the smallest hero and his happy parents!

The first steps will be uncertain, timid, cautious, the baby can spread his legs wide, keeping the balance of his body with the help of this little trick.

That is why in the first 2-3 months a small O-shaped curvature is considered a variant of the norm.

If parents regularly show their child to an orthopedist and follow the recommendations for baby food, then gradually the baby pedestrian will learn to stand firmly on the ground and his legs will become even.

But sometimes development goes according to a completely different scenario: the curvature of the legs intensifies even more or the baby begins to roll over like a duckling. This is a clear deviation.

Physiotherapy, proper nutrition, reducing the load will help your child overcome imperfections. And first, let’s figure out what is the reason for the curvature of the baby’s legs.

1. Curvature of the legs – Haste of parents
Each motor skill corresponds to a certain time: for example, the baby holds the head at 1.5 months, learns to crawl from 7 months, and attempts to walk at 9-11 months.

Sometimes impatient parents do not wait until the baby starts to stand up on its own with the help of a support, but try to put their child on their feet as soon as possible, not suspecting that the weak musculoskeletal system may simply not withstand the enormous load.

HOW TO AVOID: Remember that each stage of development has its own time. If the baby crawls well, this does not mean that he needs to be taught to walk right away. When moving on all fours, the muscles of the spine and legs are strengthened (the muscular system is responsible for the proper formation of bones) and coordination of movements improves – all these are necessary conditions for taking the first steps. And you still have time to take a walk in the yard by the hand with your little one!
2. Curvature of the legs – Rickets
Rickets – the second formidable enemy of beautiful legs – appears when there is a lack of vitamin D in the body, which is necessary for the proper absorption of the main “builders” of the skeletal system – phosphorus and calcium.

With a deficiency of vitamin D, these valuable trace elements are washed out of the bones, leading to their deformation and softening. The first symptoms of rickets are excessive sweating, baldness at the back of the head, a strong smell of urine and fearfulness.

HOW TO AVOID: If cheese, butter, fish are present in the diet of a nursing woman, then the baby receives important vitamin D along with mother’s milk.
For older children, doctors prescribe fish oil or vitamins B with special drops. And for crumbs of any age, walks in sunny weather are useful, since ultraviolet rays are a natural means of preventing and combating rickets.

3. Curvature of the legs – Hip Dysplasia
A congenital dislocation of the hip (dysplasia) can lead to an incorrect position of the legs when walking. Dysplasia develops in the fetus in the last months of intrauterine life under the influence of various negative factors: beriberi, hormonal disorders, past infections and alcohol consumption by a pregnant woman.

Only an orthopedist can detect the disease, so when the baby is one month old, do not be too lazy to make an appointment with a doctor and undergo an ultrasound examination of the hip joints.

HOW TO AVOID: The expectant mother should be attentive to her health: dress for the weather, give up bad habits, get more rest and carefully protect yourself from all sorts of stresses.
4. Curvature of the legs – Overweight
Babies with normal weight face the problem of curvature of the legs much less often than their obese peers. The fuller the baby, the more pressure is placed on his lower limbs.

Calculate the optimal weight of the child will help a simple formula for body mass index: divide the weight of the toddler (in kilograms) by his height (in meters squared). If as a result you get a figure from 14 to 16 – the weight of the child is normal, less than 14 – there is a lack of weight, and more than 16 – an excess.

HOW TO AVOID: Watch your child’s diet. If the baby should be fed at his request, then the baby, who is bottle-fed, will help the pediatrician calculate the required daily volume of the mixture. And be sure to let the baby move. Shifting toys, pulling up legs, turning over from the back to the belly – the best and easiest workout for various muscle groups and the perfect fitness for the baby.
5. Curvature of the legs – Birth trauma
Passing through the birth canal is always an easy path for a baby. Unfortunately, there are cases when, at the time of birth, the baby damages the nerves, muscles or ligaments, which subsequently may increase the risk of limb deformity.

HOW TO ESCAPE: Of course, childbirth in most cases depends on the professionalism of doctors, their efficiency and the coherence of the work of the maternity hospital team, but this does not mean that the woman giving birth is a passive participant in these actions. During pregnancy, you should attend special courses to prepare yourself for childbirth physically and psychologically, and to know what to do in emergency situations.
6. Curvature of the legs – Wearing the wrong shoes
As soon as the baby began to stand up on his own more than five times a day, it’s time to look into the shoe store and buy the first shoes in his life. Czech shoes, felt boots, flip flops and other soft shoes are not suitable for a baby, because they form an incorrect position of the legs when walking. Shoes with too hard soles that make it difficult to bend the foot are also harmful.

HOW TO AVOID: Buy shoes with a high heel and a small (0.5-1 cm) wide heel. Do not be afraid to let the baby run barefoot on grass, sand, carpet – there are many biologically active points on the foot, the stimulation of which affects the proper formation of body systems, including the musculoskeletal system.
7. Curvature of the legs – Heredity
Curvature of the legs may be genetic in nature. If there were patients in your family with a violation of calcium-phosphorus metabolism, deformity of the limbs, then it is likely that this problem will be transmitted to your baby.

HOW TO AVOID: If there is a threat of a hereditary disease, you should consult a doctor in a timely manner, who will conduct an examination and give the necessary recommendations for treatment.
How to fix a formed defect
Treatment of leg deformity is not an easy task, requiring time, perseverance and patience on the part of parents and crumbs. The time of contacting a specialist also plays a big role in the issue of recovery – the sooner you sound the alarm, the better.

First of all, it is important to identify the exact cause of the curvature of the legs. This can only be done by an orthopedic doctor with the help of examinations, observations and conversations with parents. With a clear implementation of his recommendations (for rickets, the doctor will prescribe medications containing vitamin D, for dysplasia he will prescribe a splint, and he will send a too well-fed baby for a consultation with a nutritionist), you can achieve really impressive results.
To correct leg defects courses of therapeutic massage of the back, lumbar, gluteal regions and lower extremities should be carried out four times a year. Massage should be done by a specialist who can choose the right set of exercises and will clearly control the load on the muscles.
A toddler with an X-shaped curvature is recommended to walk barefoot on pebbles, sand and other uneven surfaces, a baby with an O-shaped curvature will especially benefit from walking on a smooth surface (parquet, linoleum).
Teach your child to ride on mom’s lap, swim like a frog, putting the handles on an inflatable ring, make circular movements with their legs in the air, reminiscent of riding a bicycle, sitting in a cross-legged pose (in Turkish). These therapeutic exercises, which your baby will surely perceive as an exciting game, will speed up the process of straightening the legs.
Buy your child orthopedic shoes with an individual orthopedic insole, as any deformity of the legs leads to improper installation of the feet.