How to straighten your legs at home exercises

Author Peter Deryabin

Updated: 04/13/2020 12:05 Published: 11/20/2003 08:36

Health » Health and prevention » Phlebology

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, Chief Pediatric Traumatologist-Orthopedist of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Chief Children's Orthopedist of Moscow, Head of the Center for Pediatric Traumatology and Orthopedics CITO Oleg Alekseevich MALAKHOV talks about how to straighten your legs.

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How to straighten your legs: exercises to correct false, varus, valgus deformities

There are several types of leg curvature: false and true. False curvature is an aesthetic defect characterized by deformation of soft tissues: when the feet and knees are closed, the calves of the legs do not touch. True deformation is divided into two types: O-shaped and X-shaped. To straighten legs that have any of the described deformities, it is necessary to regularly perform a certain set of physical exercises. Before you start training, you need to consult a doctor who, based on x-rays, will confirm the type of curvature. Otherwise, instead of straight lower limbs, you can get a dangerous injury that will aggravate the original condition.

Warm-up

In order to eliminate the risk of injury during training, you need to do a warm-up before it, which will help thoroughly warm up the muscles of the lower extremities. There is a universal set of exercises that allows you to prepare the leg muscles for the correction of O-shaped and X-shaped curvature.

Take a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. The feet are parallel. The toes are raised so that the rest of the feet do not leave the floor. Then your toes need to be tucked. During the exercise, it is necessary to strain the leg muscles involved in this movement as much as possible.
The person stands up, connects his heels, and spreads his toes to the sides. Then you need to slowly stand on your toes, tensing the muscles of your lower legs, thighs and feet. In this position, you need to slowly spread your heels and then bring them together.
You need to sit on a chair with your legs slightly apart. The heels rest on the floor, and the feet rise towards themselves. The feet turn in different directions until slight pain appears in them.
The starting position is similar to the previous one. Socks stretch out and touch the floor. The heels are spread out and brought together at a slow pace.
Without changing position, you need to press your feet together, resting their outer arches on the floor. The feet roll from heels to toes and back.
A person lies on his back and imitates fast cycling for 1 minute.

A woman should repeat each exercise 10 times, a man - 20.

Exercises to correct an O-shaped curvature

If a person’s legs are positioned in the letter O, it is necessary to skate skiing, on skates. Regular body ballet classes and swimming can improve the condition of your legs with a wheel. In medicine, such a curvature of the lower extremities is called varus; to correct it, many doctors and fitness trainers recommend performing the following set of exercises:

alternate walking on the heels, inner arches of the feet;
walking up the steps using your toes;
squats with knees brought together or moving towards each other, the back remains straight during movement;
alternate swings of legs to the sides from a standing position;
lifting straight legs from the position: lying on your side;
abduction and extension of the legs in the position: lying on the back;
landing on a transverse twine.

All of the listed exercises are performed in three approaches, each of which contains 15–20 repetitions.

In addition to the described complex, there are other exercises that will help overcome O-shaped curvature of the lower extremities.

Performing the scissors exercise. At the same time, the person sits down and rests his hands on the floor behind his back.
Exercise “scissors” from the starting position: lying on your back. Horizontal and vertical movements of the legs are performed.
The man kneels down and places his hands on his belt. The knees are brought together, the feet are apart and directed in different directions, the toes are extended. Then you should slowly sit on the floor, and then return to the starting position.
“Bicycle” exercise, which can be performed from positions: sitting on a chair or lying on your back.
Formation of abdominal muscles. The person lies on his back and fixes an isotonic ring between his legs. The torso rises so that the person assumes a sitting position.
The person stands up and places his feet shoulder-width apart. The knees are brought together and spread apart so that the feet do not leave the floor.

The listed exercises can be used to eliminate the problem of O-shaped lower extremities not only in women, but also in men.

Osteomalacia or why legs become bent in old age

Osteomalacia is a metabolic disorder that causes a lot of problems for its owners, both cosmetic and functional. I’ll decipher it right away: this is a softening of bones caused by a deficiency of minerals in bone tissue. The process extends to the entire skeletal system; it’s just that the main load falls on the legs, often as the body becomes heavier with age.

There is such an orthopedic concept as the axis of the lower extremities. Legs look slender when the joints of the legs - hip, knee and ankle - are located on the same line. If this is not the case and the knee joints move in one direction or another from this “ruler”, then so-called “O” or “X” deformities of the lower extremities appear.

We will not now consider the aesthetic component of such a curvature, but will try to understand why the once slender legs that caused the envy of friends become curved, often taking on the shape of the letter “O”, but most importantly, they begin to cause excruciating pain to their owner, especially when under load.

One elderly lady brought photos of herself as a teenager in a bathing suit to the reception. I was delighted, because the girl in the photo was unusually beautiful. She stood on a rock, the wind blew her hair, and her long and slender legs attracted the eye.

But... in front of me sat an overweight elderly lady with a pronounced “O” shaped curvature of the knee joints and, accordingly, with the presence of deforming arthrosis in them, and in an advanced stage.

Blueish snakes of varicose veins wriggled along the legs, and the feet were also deformed and swollen. The patient experienced excruciating pain when moving, especially when it was necessary to climb flights of stairs.

And she came to the appointment to consult about the advisability of replacing the knee joints with metal prostheses, which I recommended that she do, and as quickly as possible.

Openwork structure of bones under a microscope

What happened? The main reason for such a restructuring of bone tissue in this example was a violation of mineral metabolism, especially calcium, as well as poor absorption of protein from the food eaten.

Everything taken together caused thinning of the bone beams and their fractures, which led to the subsidence of the bones, not only in the lower extremities, but also in the spine.

Medicine calls such a violation of bone protein metabolism osteoporosis, and a violation of mineral metabolism is the same osteomalacia, which, as already said, is translated as softening of the bones.

Osteomalacia with rickets in children

But people in the second half of life do not have such a bright outlook, since the mechanisms that facilitate the normal absorption of proteins and microelements are lost. And this pathology, like many others, by the way, begins with a violation of the secretory function of our stomach.

Let me remind you that hydrochloric acid and stomach enzymes are needed for the absorption of numerous microelements: calcium, selenium, iron and others, as well as for the first phase of the breakdown of food protein.

Our stomachs “tolerate” hot and overcooked food, alcohol and carbonated drinks for quite a long time.

When you ask a patient about the presence of problems with the gastrointestinal tract and, in particular, whether his stomach has been or is hurting, you almost always get an affirmative answer.

Our metabolism balances within a narrow range of its chemical parameters, which is called homeostasis. During the digestion of food and other metabolic reactions, acids are constantly formed inside, the indicators of which are also restrained by constantly formed alkalis. Thus, the alkaline-acid balance in the liquid media of the body is maintained and the body remains healthy.

Microelements save us from the predominance of acids: sodium, magnesium, and most importantly, calcium. All of them form alkalis that neutralize excess acids.

True, in this case a lot of salts are formed, which sometimes form deposits, which is well known to those who have stones in different places: the gall bladder, kidneys or tendons.

And we must again return to the state of the mucous membranes of our stomach and the level of acidity of its juice.

With age, these indicators steadily decrease and the possibility of obtaining protein and minerals, even from food that is complete in this regard, sharply decreases.

It is for this reason that the body is forced to “borrow”, although without the possibility of return, calcium from the bones. The depot of this most important mineral for metabolism was created very intensively until the physical and sexual maturation of the body.

Then nature assumed that we should have enough of the necessary substances from the food and drinks we consumed. But as already noted, this requires hydrochloric acid and stomach enzymes, and it is these that become less and less with age, up to a condition called “atrophic gastritis,” when acid and enzymes can be at zero.

So it turns out that the bones are depleted of protein and minerals in proportion to the degree of loss of the secretory capabilities of our stomachs, liver and intestines.

As a result: all the numerous functions of bone tissue are disrupted, and osteoporosis (fragility) and osteomalacia (softening) lead to what was mentioned at the beginning of the article, when the skeleton, slender in youth, turns into a burden carrying pain and deformation.

The flattening of the vertebrae with age noticeably reduces a person’s height, especially in a sitting position, which is why doctors once colorfully called this syndrome “sedentary dwarfism.” It is clear that deformation of the vertebrae and disruption of their complex anatomy causes in parallel all the symptoms of osteochondrosis and spondylosis.

Conclusion: if there is a decrease in the secretory activity of the mucous membranes of the stomach, measures should be taken to compensate for the missing proteins, or rather amino acids, and the listed microelements. This cannot be done without high-quality dietary supplements. They can be found in any online company that promotes the named components of cellular nutrition.

You should know that there is a group of frequently consumed foods that can bind calcium and other trace elements in the large intestine, then removing them with feces.

Break this up over several hours.

This information should be known to young people whose stomachs are still capable of digesting “nails,” but... you know that until “thunder strikes, a man does not cross himself,” that is why no one is immune from the appearance of osteomalacia at a certain age coupled with osteoporosis .

Source: https://nina555.ru/osteomalyatsiya/

Correction of X-shaped curvature

X-shaped curvature of the lower extremities is called valgus in medicine. To correct such a defect, you need to regularly swim, do yoga, ride a bike, or ride a horse. You can cope with this problem at home; to do this, you need to regularly perform the following exercises:

walking on the outer arches of the feet;
walking on your knees:
side lunges;
swing your legs with your toes pointed to the side.

You can supplement the presented complex with the following effective exercises.

A standing position is assumed. The feet are placed shoulder-width apart, squats are performed, as if a person is sitting on a chair, but the pelvis should not be lowered below the knees.
A sitting position is assumed with legs crossed “Turkish”. You should put pressure on your knees with your hands, trying to bring them closer together. Pressure is then applied to the knees, bringing them closer to the floor.
A person lies on his stomach, connects his feet, spreads his knees in different directions.

The presented exercises allow you to solve the problem of positioning your legs in an X by working the muscles of the outer thighs.

Correcting a true curvature without surgery is a long process, so before starting training you need to get ready to work hard on your own body and not wait for quick results to appear.

Types of leg curvature (PHOTO)

The beauty of legs is a concept that everyone builds on personal aesthetic perception. Just beautiful, that's all, you say. But it turns out that ideal legs exist, and their shape is calculated mathematically.

They should reach a length of up to 55% of your height, and it is also necessary to maintain certain proportions between body height and the volume of the hips and ankles. But the main thing is the rule of a straight line : if you draw an imaginary straight line from the middle of the thigh through the closed knees and ankles, then three gaps will be visible along the smooth inner contour of the limb: from the crotch to the knee joints, under the closed knees to the calves and from the calf muscles to the ankles. In front of you are perfect legs. But not everyone has been blessed with such things by nature. Anthropometric cosmetology deals with the correction of such defects.

The legs of many men and women are characterized by curvature, varying in severity and divided into two types - false and true. What is it and what is their fundamental difference?

True

This curvature is the result of anatomical features or deformation of the skeletal bones of the femur and lower leg. The lower limbs seem to form an arc. The cause of true, that is, bone curvature, is most often hereditary genes or diseases suffered at a young age, for example, rickets, or metabolic disorders.

False

Such curvature is a disproportionate distribution of the soft tissues of the thigh and lower leg with a smooth, defect-free position of the skeletal bones. We can say that false curvature is the appearance of curvature in its real absence.

Elimination of false curvature

Since false curvature does not deform the bones, it can be dealt with using exercises aimed at working the muscles of the lower leg and calves. One of the most effective complexes for this is considered to be one that is based on the following exercises:

squats on toes with dumbbells;
walking on toes for long periods of time;
walking quickly up the steps, resting on your toes;
transferring the body onto socks with weights from a standing position.

All of the above exercises must be repeated until moderate pain appears in the calf muscles and lower leg. Once the pain begins to spread, you need to stop training. When the muscles become toned, the approaches need to be repeated.

Exercises for children

Doctors recommend correcting the problem of crooked lower limbs in a child under 7 years of age. This is due to the fact that at an older age the correction process will take much longer. In order to help a child straighten his legs, it is necessary to perform a certain set of exercises with him.

Walking in a circle on your toes, on the inner and outer arch of the foot.
Walking with a ball held between your knees.
Take a lying position with your legs slightly apart. The feet should be turned inward. The toes curl. The feet turn so that their toes touch.
The child gets on all fours, stretches one leg back and up. In this case, the toe should be stretched out as much as possible.
The child lies on his stomach, his chin is placed on his hands, his legs are brought together. The legs simultaneously bend at the knees, the heels reach the gluteal muscles.

How to straighten your legs: exercises to correct false, varus, valgus deformities

Warm-up

Take a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. The feet are parallel. The toes are raised so that the rest of the feet do not leave the floor. Then your toes need to be tucked. During the exercise, it is necessary to strain the leg muscles involved in this movement as much as possible.
The person stands up, connects his heels, and spreads his toes to the sides. Then you need to slowly stand on your toes, tensing the muscles of your lower legs, thighs and feet. In this position, you need to slowly spread your heels and then bring them together.
You need to sit on a chair with your legs slightly apart. The heels rest on the floor, and the feet rise towards themselves. The feet turn in different directions until slight pain appears in them.
The starting position is similar to the previous one. Socks stretch out and touch the floor. The heels are spread out and brought together at a slow pace.
Without changing position, you need to press your feet together, resting their outer arches on the floor. The feet roll from heels to toes and back.
A person lies on his back and imitates fast cycling for 1 minute.

A woman should repeat each exercise 10 times, a man - 20.

Crooked legs in women: correction of deformity

If X-shaped or O-shaped legs are observed in girls, then for them this is a real disaster . Because then you won’t be able to go out for a walk in a short skirt or dress or wear high-heeled shoes.

Crooked legs for women are not aesthetically pleasing, not sexy. Many women, without knowing it, become the reason why their legs gradually begin to deform.

This is facilitated by:

sitting in a position where one leg rests on the other;
sleeping on your side or stomach;
wearing stilettos or high heels;
constantly carrying a bag on one shoulder (especially if the bag is very overloaded).

Today, the fundamental way to solve the problem of curvature of the legs is surgery . At home, an alternative to surgical intervention will be special exercises that need to be performed daily.

Exercises should only be selected by an orthopedic doctor after determining the type of leg curvature.

Let's look at effective, universal exercises for correcting the shape of the legs:

Squats . Perform 10 squats, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Exercise "Soldier" . In a standing position with a straight back, you need to put your toes apart and your heels together. Try to bring your knees together, then put your feet in the correct position.
Exercise "Wall". Lie on the floor near the wall. Press your legs bent at the knees against the wall for 5 seconds.

Thanks to these simple exercises, you can straighten your legs without surgery.

A person's weight plays an important role . If a woman is overweight, then the load goes on her legs, as a result of which they begin to deform.

Therefore, in parallel with straightening the legs with the help of exercises, it is necessary to direct efforts to reduce excess weight.

Fasting will not help in this case. You need to eat right, eat healthy food, eat 5 times a day in small portions.

A combination of diet and exercise are the right steps towards achieving ideal beautiful legs in adults.

Exercises to correct an O-shaped curvature

alternate walking on the heels, inner arches of the feet;
walking up the steps using your toes;
squats with knees brought together or moving towards each other, the back remains straight during movement;
alternate swings of legs to the sides from a standing position;
lifting straight legs from the position: lying on your side;
abduction and extension of the legs in the position: lying on the back;
landing on a transverse twine.

All of the listed exercises are performed in three approaches, each of which contains 15–20 repetitions.

In addition to the described complex, there are other exercises that will help overcome O-shaped curvature of the lower extremities.

Performing the scissors exercise. At the same time, the person sits down and rests his hands on the floor behind his back.
Exercise “scissors” from the starting position: lying on your back. Horizontal and vertical movements of the legs are performed.
The man kneels down and places his hands on his belt. The knees are brought together, the feet are apart and directed in different directions, the toes are extended. Then you should slowly sit on the floor, and then return to the starting position.
“Bicycle” exercise, which can be performed from positions: sitting on a chair or lying on your back.
Formation of abdominal muscles. The person lies on his back and fixes an isotonic ring between his legs. The torso rises so that the person assumes a sitting position.
The person stands up and places his feet shoulder-width apart. The knees are brought together and spread apart so that the feet do not leave the floor.

The listed exercises can be used to eliminate the problem of O-shaped lower extremities not only in women, but also in men.

O-shaped legs

O-shaped legs

– a pathological condition in which the legs are bent at an angle that is open inwards.

Typically, this pathology occurs due to an arched or, less commonly, angular curvature of the legs, resulting from congenital malformations or diseases characterized by a decrease in the strength of bone tissue.

Accompanied by compensatory deformation of other parts of the lower extremities, especially the feet. The diagnosis is made based on examination, radiography, CT, MRI and other studies. Treatment can be either conservative or surgical.

M21.1

Varus deformity, not elsewhere classified

O-shaped legs are a varus deformity of the limbs, in which a person standing with his legs together does not touch his knees, but is at some distance from each other.

In this case, a gap is formed between the legs, resembling the letter “O”. It is a fairly widespread pathology. Normally observed in children under 24 months of age.

If the O-shaped alignment persists at an older age, conservative or surgical correction is necessary.

Although varus curvature of the legs is considered a relatively favorable deformity compared with valgus curvature, this pathology also entails negative consequences. With varus curvature of the legs, the feet compensatory “go” into a vicious position, which leads to secondary flatfoot.

All of the above indicates the high relevance of the problem of O-shaped legs in modern traumatology, orthopedics and pediatrics.

O-shaped legs

Normally, all newborns have a slight arched curvature of the legs (up to 20 degrees), due to the intrauterine position of the fetus. In this case, the child’s legs are symmetrical, but the shape and position of the feet may be asymmetrical.

By the age of 2, the O-shaped deformity disappears and is gradually replaced by an X-shaped (valgus) one. A slight valgus curvature of the legs (up to 15 degrees) persists for up to 3 years, and then begins to decrease and by the age of 8 does not exceed 7-9 degrees.

Subsequently, both the complete disappearance of the curvature and the preservation of a slight residual angle are possible.

Varus curvature, which persists at the age of 2 years and older, is the cause of abnormal development of the knee joints. The external condyle of the femur increases, the internal one decreases. The joint space becomes uneven - narrowed inside and widened outside.

The inner meniscus is compressed, the ligaments along the outer surface of the joint are stretched. Initially, the feet take a flat-varus position, their anterior sections and heels deviate inward. Subsequently, a compensatory flatvalgus deformity of the feet is formed.

In severe cases, the tibia rotates inward and the hips rotate outward. Flexion in the knee joints is limited. Gait disturbances and rapid fatigue when walking occur.

The cause of unilateral O-shaped deformity in infancy is usually congenital hypoplasia caused by neurofibromatosis or fibrocystic dysplasia of the tibia.

In contrast to physiological varus curvature, with this pathology, uneven deformation is observed (one lower leg is more curved than the other).

The outcome of congenital hypoplasia of the leg bones can be pseudarthrosis.

Traditionally, rickets ranks high on the list of causes of O-shaped legs. And although this pathology is quite rare in pediatrics these days, it can occur, so it should always be excluded during differential diagnosis.

It should be taken into account that rickets can develop in three periods of a child’s life: in utero (that is, congenital), at an early age and in adolescence. The cause of fetal rickets is vitamin D deficiency in the mother.

Currently, this pathology is detected mainly in economically disadvantaged countries.

Infantile rickets occurs after stopping breastfeeding. At this stage of development, the child’s body requires a large amount of vitamin D. If the baby does not receive this vitamin in sufficient quantities, his bones become insufficiently strong and gradually bend when walking. An O-shaped curvature of both the legs and hips is possible.

In some cases, an asymmetrical deformity is observed: varus curvature on one side is combined with valgus curvature on the other side. Anterior bending can also form - the so-called saber shins.

Moreover, in contrast to damage to the legs with syphilis, when the legs are bent only anteriorly, a combination of deformation in the lateral and anteroposterior directions is observed.

Another critical age at which the likelihood of developing rickets increases is the period of intensive growth in adolescents.

There is persistent late rickets, which, unlike the usual form of the disease, does not respond to treatment with standard doses of vitamin D. Persistent rickets develops due to genetic predisposition, chronic kidney disease and steatorrhea.

Intestinal rickets (rickets with steatorrhea) can occur with any type of long-term intestinal disorder. Occurs due to impaired absorption of fats, vitamins, phosphates and calcium.

Similar disorders can be detected in adults, but in the latter case it is not rickets, but osteomalacia. The cause of the development of renal rickets is chronic kidney diseases that interfere with the retention of phosphates and calcium in the blood serum.

With renal rickets, valgus deformity is most often observed, but an O-shaped curvature is also possible.

Another reason for the formation of O-shaped legs is Blount's disease (deforming osteochondrosis of the tibia).

With this disease, there is not an arched curvature, as with rickets, but an angular curvature of the leg with the apex of the deformity at the level of the proximal epiphysis.

At an early age (2-4 years), with Blount's disease, as a rule, bilateral curvature is detected; at an older age, only one lower leg may be curvature.

The curvature is caused by excessive growth of bone tissue with insufficient destruction. In this case, the newly formed bone does not have sufficient strength due to incomplete calcification.

It thickens and at the same time becomes soft, resulting in curvature and transverse fractures.

Depending on their age, an adult orthopedist and a pediatric orthopedic traumatologist can diagnose patients with O-shaped legs. The most important task when examining patients with O-shaped legs is to identify the underlying disease that caused the deformity.

When making a diagnosis, the clinical picture, features of the curvature, the age at which the first symptoms appeared, heredity and the condition of other organs and systems are taken into account. All patients with O-shaped legs are prescribed radiography of the legs.

If there is concomitant deformation of the upper limbs, an additional x-ray of the hips is performed; if compensatory changes in other parts of the limbs are suspected, x-rays of the hip joints and x-rays of the feet are performed.

To exclude rickets, the levels of alkaline phosphatase, phosphorus and calcium are studied in blood tests.

If persistent forms of rickets caused by kidney and gastrointestinal diseases are suspected, the patient is referred for consultation to a nephrologist and gastroenterologist.

To exclude Blount's disease and Paget's disease, radiographs are examined, and if necessary, MRI and CT scans of the legs are additionally prescribed. To identify hereditary predisposition, family history is studied in detail.

According to indications, treatment of the underlying disease is carried out.

It should be borne in mind that correction of O-shaped deformity without eliminating its causes may be ineffective and in some cases even leads to the progression of the curvature, the formation of false joints, etc.

In adults, only surgical correction of the shape of the legs is possible. Usually, for O-shaped legs, a corrective osteotomy is performed in combination with the application of an Ilizarov apparatus.

Incomplete osteotomy (dissection of the bone only along the inner surface) is used for true O-shaped curvature and a favorable distribution of the soft tissues of the lower leg from an aesthetic point of view. In other cases, a complete osteotomy is used.

Depending on the magnitude and nature of the deformation, both immediate and gradual elimination of the curvature is possible.

In the first case, the patient’s shins are immediately brought into the correct position; in the second, the relative position of the fragments is corrected by gradually “unscrewing” the nuts and increasing the distance between the rings on the inside. In the postoperative period, exercise therapy and physical therapy are prescribed. Usually it takes about 2 months to correct the shape of the legs, but with severe deformities this period may increase.

Source: https://www.KrasotaiMedicina.ru/diseases/traumatology/O-shaped-legs

Correction of X-shaped curvature

walking on the outer arches of the feet;
walking on your knees:
side lunges;
swing your legs with your toes pointed to the side.

You can supplement the presented complex with the following effective exercises.

A standing position is assumed. The feet are placed shoulder-width apart, squats are performed, as if a person is sitting on a chair, but the pelvis should not be lowered below the knees.
A sitting position is assumed with legs crossed “Turkish”. You should put pressure on your knees with your hands, trying to bring them closer together. Pressure is then applied to the knees, bringing them closer to the floor.
A person lies on his stomach, connects his feet, spreads his knees in different directions.

False curvature - what to do to win?

Let us immediately emphasize that false leg deformity is not a pathology. It does not cause harm to physical health, but is only an aesthetic defect. This means that we are quite capable of correcting crooked legs without surgery.

How to correct and correct true curvature? We will start the correction with proper physical activity. The result, depending on the degree of deformation, can be seen in six months to a year, and even completely get rid of the defect. But time and effort will not be wasted - your body will become healthier and stronger overall, you will look and feel much better. And the proposed complexes can be performed not only in the gym, but even independently at home.

A set of exercises for correcting O-legs

How to make your legs straight with this type of defect? The impact should be aimed at strengthening the adductor muscles, as well as the inner surface of the thigh and lower leg. So, we present to you exercises for crooked legs at home.

Walking on the inner arches of the feet and on the heels with the toes pointing outward, raising the toes and other exercises for the calf muscles.
Run or walk up stairs, raising your toes with each step. Can be replaced by “Stepping onto a bench.”
Squats: as deep as possible with knees brought together, the second type is ballet “Plie”. The legs are spread as wide as possible, the toes point in different directions, the emphasis when moving is on the inner thigh. Read more about all types of squats here.
Swing your leg to the side from a standing position - free or with sports rubber.
Straight leg raises: one leg lying on your side, alternately from a sitting position with support on your hands behind you
“Scissors” vertical and horizontal or “Bicycle”.
Lunges. Move your body weight to the heel of the working limb, lifting from a lunge - without jerking, with tension on the buttocks, not the knee.
Mixing and breeding. Feet - shoulder-width apart, bring your knees closer and apart without lifting the entire surface of your feet from the floor.
Cross "twine". Not only straightens, but also lengthens limbs.

Elimination of false curvature

squats on toes with dumbbells;
walking on toes for long periods of time;
walking quickly up the steps, resting on your toes;
transferring the body onto socks with weights from a standing position.

All of the above exercises must be repeated until moderate pain appears in the calf muscles and lower leg. Once the pain begins to spread, you need to stop training. When the muscles become toned, the approaches need to be repeated.

Exercises for children

Walking in a circle on your toes, on the inner and outer arch of the foot.
Walking with a ball held between your knees.
Take a lying position with your legs slightly apart. The feet should be turned inward. The toes curl. The feet turn so that their toes touch.
The child gets on all fours, stretches one leg back and up. In this case, the toe should be stretched out as much as possible.
The child lies on his stomach, his chin is placed on his hands, his legs are brought together. The legs simultaneously bend at the knees, the heels reach the gluteal muscles.

In order to straighten a child’s leg as quickly as possible, he should be encouraged to sit cross-legged, ride a bicycle, and walk barefoot on grass, sand, pebbles, and specialized orthopedic mats.

The described exercises for straightening the legs will help correct only mild true curvature of both types, as well as any condition of the limbs with false deformation. A positive result will be noticeable after 2-4 months of regular daily training. Before you start exercising, you need to consult a doctor who, based on the shape of your legs and x-rays, will determine the advisability of training and recommend an effective set of exercises. Very crooked O-shaped or X-shaped lower limbs can only be corrected with surgery or an Ilizarov apparatus.

How to straighten your legs?

— How can you straighten legs that are crooked from birth?

— If the legs have a pronounced O-shaped or X-shaped shape, then they can only be corrected through surgery. Science has not yet invented other methods.

The bone can be straightened in one way - by making an artificial fracture above or below the knee joint. Then fix it so that it grows together at the desired angle.

An orthopedic surgeon has a whole arsenal of different tools for this. From plaster to the most complex modern devices, including the famous Ilizarov apparatus.

— How is it possible to take and break a completely healthy leg, even under anesthesia?

- But we often do this not only for the sake of beauty. If the angle of curvature is too large, then it becomes dangerous to the woman’s health. Uneven one-sided load on the joints leads to:

their deformations
to salt deposition
arthritis
and then to arthrosis.

Of course, this does not happen immediately and not to everyone. But the probability is still very high. After all, women have to:

and give birth
and carry heavy bags
gain weight with age.

The bone can be straightened in one way - by making an artificial fracture above or below the knee joint

Therefore, as they say, you need to choose the lesser of two evils - surgery now or possible troubles in the future. I believe it is better to fix serious problems right away.

— How long does rehabilitation take?

— After the operation, the woman is forced to endure some inconveniences. For the first six weeks, her leg is in a cast, and she can only move with the help of crutches.

If the operation is performed on both legs at once, then she will have to spend all this time at home, in bed. But after three months she will be able to walk freely without limping. A total of six months is required for complete recovery.

— Are there any restrictions on the age of patients?

- In principle, the operation can be performed at any age - both at twenty and at forty. But still, young women and teenage girls come to us more often. Moreover, which is typical, it is we, pediatric orthopedic surgeons, who can help them.

— But it’s probably better to operate at an earlier age?

“The sooner the mother takes the girl to the doctor, the easier the recovery period will be.”

This operation can be performed from the age of three, although this also has its difficulties. At a young age, you should never damage the bone growth zones.

— Is it possible to correct bowed legs caused by rickets in childhood?

— Yes, but in these cases, in addition to surgery, additional treatment is also prescribed. But first, an examination of what kind of rickets she suffered from in childhood. After all, there are several varieties of this disease. Each of them has its own treatment method.

— How fair is the opinion that you can achieve the desired slimness of your legs with special exercises?

- It is only partly true. If a bone has an irregular shape, then no amount of training will make it straight. It’s another matter when there is underdevelopment of individual muscles. Such a woman is given away not only by her legs, but also by:

heavy, clumsy gait
stooped back.

If the angle of curvature is too great, then it becomes dangerous to the woman’s health

In this case, regular exercise in the gym will help cope with muscle imbalance. It is better to study under the guidance of an experienced instructor. After all, you don’t just need:

pump up muscles
and develop them harmoniously.

The body has incredible plasticity. And if we add to this property perseverance, which pushes a woman to perform feats in the name of beauty, then the desired results can be achieved.

Women are given beautiful and slender legs either by nature or by persistent sports training. But sometimes the help of a surgeon is required.

Conversation with a chiropractor about slender legs

The more I communicate with Vitaly Demyanovich GITT, the more I am convinced that he is not an ordinary chiropractor. For example, joints. Chiropractors, as you know, do not treat them, but Vitaly Demyanovich created an effective technique, which we have already introduced readers to (“FiS”, 2005, No. 3-9). He also developed various techniques for correcting defects in posture and physique. In the arsenal of V.D. Gitta has techniques and exercises invented by him that make it possible to correct, for example, defects such as “chicken breast”, skewed shoulders, torticollis, short neck, etc. even crooked legs, which is what we will talk about today.

– Our editorial office has received letters from girls more than once asking for advice on how to straighten their crooked legs. I know that you have your own technique, which in a few months allows you to make crooked legs slender, and therefore beautiful. Please tell our readers about it.

– Curvature of the legs usually does not affect the health of their owner, but it deprives many, especially the fair sex, of spiritual comfort. Moreover, there is no one to turn to for help. It is believed that a defect such as curvature of the legs cannot be corrected. However, my experience proves the opposite, and I will be happy to share it with FiS readers. But first, in order to determine which method of “straightening” the legs should be used in each specific case, we need to understand what type of curvature we are dealing with. There are, in general, three of them. In the first case, curvature is observed in the knee area: they are either too close to each other, or, conversely, too far apart. In the second type, the curvature is observed in the shin area - they are usually curved outward and there is too much distance between them. And finally, with the third type of leg curvature, the defect is observed in the area of the femur, which is curved outward.

• In the first case, feel your knees and you will find that about 4 centimeters below the center of the kneecap, on the side of it (right and left), there is a joint space. It is at this point that special corrective techniques will have to be directed (see figure). To complete them, you will have to make a bag from canvas or denim. Cut a piece of it measuring 15x20 centimeters, sew a tube-bag, pour sand or salt into it and sew up the free end. Taking this bag in your hand, while sitting, tap the area of the joint space: if the knees are apart, on the inside of the kneecap, if they are brought together, on the outside. Perform the procedure daily for 1 minute in the morning and evening. In the first days, hit slowly to avoid bruising; later, when the tissues adapt to this impact, the hits can be increased. As a result of this treatment of the knees, the joint space will widen somewhat, at the same time the growth of the outer (or inner) part of the meniscus is stimulated and the legs in the knee area are straightened. These procedures need to be done for at least six months.

• The legs are twisted due to a deformed shin, and it can be twisted at the bottom, just above the ankle, or at the top, just below the knee. In these cases, you can build up the muscle so as to visually hide this defect. But, as far as I know, there are no exercises for building muscle in these areas. Therefore I suggest another method. As you know, “a muscle is shaken by injury” (by the way, one of Jack London’s heroes says these exact words). With the same bag you need to hit problem areas, activating blood circulation and metabolic processes will build muscle in this area, even if just a little, but it will build it up. But even five millimeters completely change the silhouette of the leg. I usually suggest to my patients with a similar leg defect to stand in front of a mirror, and I apply a small strip of paper to the place of the curvature - I add exactly these 5 millimeters, and the girls are usually surprised and happy to discover that the leg has become slender. Tapping should be performed for 1 minute in the morning and evening for six months. • The legs are crooked due to the curvature of the femur. It also looks unaesthetic, especially when girls wear trousers. To disguise this defect, you need to build up the inner thigh muscles. A simple exercise will help. Take a medium-sized (20 centimeters in diameter) rubber ball and sit on a chair. Hold the ball between your knees and squeeze it with frequent movements for 1-2 minutes. Do this exercise daily. Gradually the muscles will increase, the leg will look slender.

Crooked legs are not a problem at all

Today, the problem of curvature of the legs can be radically solved either by orthopedic straightening surgery or plastic surgery.
Such operations are very painful, long and expensive, and the worst thing is that they often disappoint. But is it worth resorting to drastic measures when there are other methods that are much simpler, more accessible and harmless.

Correction of curvature of the legs can be done by physical and manual intervention.

Natural curvature of the legs is not a disaster at all:

firstly, there are not so many naturally ideal legs;
secondly, it is quite possible that you are simply exaggerating your small defect.

It is possible to correct the curvature of the legs with the help of physical exercises, exercise machines and manual methods.

How to determine the type of curvature of the legs

Before you start fixing your legs, be sure to visit a podiatrist. It will help determine:

What kind of curvature do you have (true or false): true curvature is determined by the deviation of the bones from the vertical axis;
false – asymmetry or insufficient development of the muscles of the calves or thighs.

Curvature Shape Type:

O-shaped or X-shaped

Cause of curvature:

natural defect,

muscle features,

biomechanics of the knee joints.

You can check the falsity or truth of the curvature and the shape of the curvature yourself by straightening your legs until your knees and feet touch completely.

Before choosing a method for straightening your legs, you need to determine your type of curvature.

The screening test is described in detail in the article Leg Straightening Surgery.

Nature often has nothing to do with the curvature of the legs:

In most cases, curvature of the legs is a defect acquired during incomplete bone growth.

Our habits may be to blame: the habit of standing in a pose, leaning on one leg and weakening the other;
a pose in which the feet are turned toes inward;
the habit of eating a lot - as a result, heavy weight leads to bowed legs.

Also, the cause of asymmetry or curvature of the legs can be life itself with its daily stress:

In jumping athletes, the pushing leg is usually more developed;

professional jockeys may have an O-shaped curvature of the legs, etc.

The cause of the X-shaped deformity can be valgus deformity of the foot (clubfoot) - turning the foot outward:

Such a defect often forms in early childhood, when the development of the muscular-ligamentous system of a child who has begun to walk is insufficient, or the child is overweight.

Correction of false and true curvature

Correction of false curvature is done by pumping up the corresponding muscles of the thigh or lower leg with the help of physical exercises and exercise machines - in this way you can correct the shape of the legs by closing too large “openings” between the legs or smoothing the outer contour.

However, a large degree of curvature usually leads to disruption of the biomechanics of the knee joints.

Check test for knee joints:

with an O-shape, the kneecap on a straightened leg is shifted inward;
with an X-shaped - outward; When performing the test, bend one leg, and on a straight leg, determine the displacement of the kneecap.
in the first case, the knees go to the sides when squatting;
in the second, they strive to connect. When squatting, watch in which direction your knees are moving.

There is no longer a false, but a true curvature, which cannot be corrected by developing the calf muscles.

True curvature of the legs due to displacement of the knee joint can be corrected using manual manipulation of the knee joint in combination with a set of exercises for the joints and muscles.

Exercises to correct O-shaped curvature

The following exercises help with this type of curvature:

Examples of exercises to correct curvature of the legs

Walking on the inside of the foot.
Walking on your heels with your toes facing out.
Squats in a “ballet” position: toes pointed out as far as possible.
Exercises for the adductor (internal) muscles of the thigh and lower leg: free abduction of the leg to the side in a standing position;
leg abduction with shock absorber - rubber cord;
raising the leg to the side while standing sideways to the support;
leg lift while lying on your side.

Alternately lifting straightened legs in a sitting position, supporting yourself with your hands behind you.

Cross movements with straight legs (“scissors”) in a lying position.

Exercises with straight legs connected together (legs connected with belts or special correctors):

Lie on the floor with your feet against the wall. When sitting down, reach your hands towards the wall.

Lie on the floor, stretched out, then pull your feet towards you.

Lying on your back, slowly, without raising your torso and head, raise your legs to a height of 30 cm from the floor, then also smoothly lower them.

The transverse split stretch is a very effective way to straighten and lengthen your legs.

Sports preferred for O-shaped curvatures:

skating;
skating skiing;
ballet dancing;
swimming.

Exercises to correct X-shaped curvature

The long calf type responds best to exercise, in which the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles are low and attached to the short Achilles tendon.

A short lower leg with a high muscle position and a long tendon is less susceptible to correction.

The following exercises are preferable for X-shaped curvature:

Walking on the outer sides of the feet.
Squats with a ball between the knees.
Sitting “Turkish”: knees apart, heels connected;
A similar asana in yoga is the lotus pose.

Exercises for the internal soleus muscle while sitting on a chair:

As a simple exercise machine, a shovel handle is used, which is placed on the knees.

Pressing on the handle of the shovel with both hands, at the same time we slowly lift both shins onto our toes and lower them.

After some time, we weigh down the cutting by hanging weights on the edges, for example, plastic bottles or buckets of water.

Exercise to train the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle:

Performed on steps with safety net.

Stand on the bottom step of the stairs, not with your entire foot (heels not on the step), with your toes turned outward.

Holding the hands of the assistant standing above, slowly rise on your toes and lower yourself (the heel should not go below the level of the step, in order to avoid stretching the Achilles tendon).

These exercises are performed three times a week:

During the lesson, three approaches are done with 15 repetitions.

Sports with X-shaped legs.

For X-shaped deformation, the following are suitable:

horse riding and cycling,
breaststroke swimming,
yoga classes.

: Exercises for correcting legs.

Leg straightening on the machine

The goal of the classes is to train the quadriceps femoris muscle, but not to build mass, but to work out its relief and shape.

To perform this exercise, you will need a simple leg extension machine.

The purpose of exercises on the simulator is to correct the relief and shape of the quadriceps femoris muscle.

How to do the exercise:

Sit on the machine and first check how it is positioned: when placing your shin under the support, it should be no higher than one third of the length of the shin
if the stop is higher or lower, set it according to your anthropometric data

When starting the exercise, place your feet at a distance of 30 cm from each other.

Leaning firmly with your back against the backrest and holding the handles, slowly straighten your legs at the knees.

To correct the outer contour of the legs (with X-shaped curvature), the feet are turned with their toes inward when the legs are extended.

To correct the inner part of the quadriceps, the feet need to be rotated outward.

You should not start training with too much weight on the machine - weight gain should be gradual.

At home, this exercise can be performed on a chair with weights on the shins.

: Straightening the legs while sitting in the machine.

Manual correction of true curvature

This very simple technique was proposed by chiropractor, chiropractor Vitaly Gitt.

To select a correction method, the type of leg curvature is determined:

Curvature due to the knees being too close together or, on the contrary, too far apart.
Curvature of the lower leg (mainly external O-shaped).
External curvature of the femur.

According to these types of defects, Gitt offers the following correction methods:

Restoring the biomechanics of the knee joints

This occurs by widening the joint space and stimulating the growth of the inner or outer part of the meniscus (the location of the joint space can be determined by the depressions located 4 cm below the center of the knee, to the right and left of it). The knee is corrected by widening the joint space and the natural growth of the meniscus under impact. .
To do this, every day for a minute in the morning and evening you need to tap these areas with a small tarpaulin bag (size 15x20cm) filled with sand or salt, on the inside of the knee for an O-shaped curvature or on the outside for an X-shaped curvature.
The blows should be weak in the first days, then after adaptation the force of the blows should be increased

Elimination of curvature of the lower leg

The defect is eliminated in the same way - by gradually increasing blows to problem areas.

Impacts are a kind of microtrauma, thanks to which blood circulation and metabolic processes are stimulated, and muscle building occurs, which cannot be done with the help of physical exercises with the curvature position being too high or too low.

Correction of external hip curvature

This happens by building up the internal muscle:

while sitting on a chair, a small 20-centimeter ball is placed between the knees;
the ball is compressed and unclenched at a fast pace for one or two minutes.

The growth of both the meniscus and muscles with such methods is minimal, but even a few millimeters produce a good visual effect.

To obtain tangible results, these procedures must be performed for at least six months.

As you can see, correcting the curvature of your legs is entirely in your hands.

: Slim legs with yoga

Source: https://IaKosmetolog.ru/ortopedia/ispravlenie-krivizni-nog.html

Note:

Very often to V.D. Girls turn to Gitt asking him to help him straighten his legs. However, most often the problem is found not in the joint, but in unformed leg muscles and excess fat deposits. You can eliminate this problem by regularly exercising on a treadmill. A large selection of treadmills for any budget in the Stimul store.

The vibration platform will help prepare the legs of a child and an adult for massage using the V.D. method. Gitta, improve the shape of your legs by creating beautiful muscles. Large selection of home vibration platforms in the Stimul store.

How to straighten crooked legs at home?

Before discussing the topic of how to straighten crooked legs, it is necessary to find out how this occurs. The reason may begin in infancy - during birth, the child receives varying degrees of dislocation of the hip joint or its prenatal underdevelopment. It is much easier to eliminate pathology in childhood, but they resort to it already in adulthood.

You need to understand what types of legs exist, and which are considered curved from a medical point of view:

Ideal shape. This form provides for free contact of the ankles and knees of the lower extremities in a standing position.
O-shape. In a standing position, the ankles are defined in a connected state, and the knee joints are located at some distance.
X-shape. In a standing position, the knee joints are in contact with each other, the ankles are at a certain distance.
False curvature – when the bones are straight, a curvature is visualized. This condition occurs due to the abnormal development of certain muscles of the lower extremities.

Before prescribing a course of treatment, an orthopedic doctor will certainly conduct a medical examination and identify the optimal methods.

Slender legs and extra wings

Many people consider leg defects incurable. Fortunately, this is not the case.

In particular, Anya managed to correct the shape of her legs relatively quickly: with the help of special exercises, we built up muscles in the right places and stimulated the growth of the inner part of the meniscus. The problem was solved.

The causes of curvature of the legs can be divided into two groups - congenital and acquired.

The former are quite rare, but sometimes require surgical intervention.

As for acquired curvatures, they often begin at a very tender age. If a child stands on his feet too early, deformities of the knees, ankle joints, tibia and femurs are possible. In this case (as well as with rickets), the curvature can be significant - the so-called “cavalry legs”.

Asymmetry (different lengths) of the legs is sometimes a consequence of birth injuries (in which case it is appropriate to classify it as a birth defect), but more often it develops due to unilateral pinching of large nerves: the lack of proper innervation leads to limited motor capabilities and muscle atrophy.

Many defects can be corrected by parents themselves if they pay attention to them in time. And you need to take care of the correct shape of your child’s legs from infancy.

Lay the baby on a hard surface on his back, level his position and see at what level his heels are.

This way you can identify different leg lengths - a very serious defect that causes scoliosis and coxarthrosis. In children it is usually treated well.

Mom was in a panic: her ten-year-old daughter’s leg was shortened by two centimeters. The disease was noticed about two years ago. And it appeared after falling from a tree. Scoliosis began to develop.

Different leg lengths can be the result of many reasons, and the most common of them is congenital or acquired subluxation of the hip joint.

Such subluxations and many forms of clubfoot usually respond well to manual therapy .

It is worse if the shortening of the leg is caused by underdevelopment of certain bones. A difference of 2-3 cm necessarily causes the development of scoliosis. But this is not a reason to accept the situation and give up. Such scoliosis can also be treated, but it is important not to neglect it.

Joints are most important for posture, gait, health and beauty. Joint diseases are considered common among older people. But joints can suffer in everyone, including children. And with careful attention and care, even at ninety years old they are in perfect order.

When the child begins to walk, watch how he places his legs, whether he is clubbing or turning them to the sides. Any deviation is a reason to go to an orthopedist.

Correction method

The process of eliminating curvature of the lower extremities has various methods of achieving the goal, built on three main principles:

The most radical way to solve the described problem is surgical intervention. Correction of leg curvature is achieved surgically using an Ilizarov medical device or through pure surgery. It can have a negative impact on the human body, as various kinds of complications may arise.
The easiest way is to visually correct the problem. How to straighten crooked legs at home? This technique works best here. It involves wearing the “correct” clothing as usual. For example, if you really want to wear miniskirts, you can hide the curvature of your legs with tights with a large geometric pattern or over the knee boots. For thin legs, it is recommended to wear tights with horizontal stripes or an additional shiny thread in the fabric itself.

Housewives with crooked legs are advised to give preference to trousers with an even cut. And you should forget about skirts above or knee-length and breeches.

The most time-consuming, but accessible way to achieve a goal is to perform certain physical exercises. With their help, you can correct false curvature of the legs.

Exercise will make your legs slender

Exercise No. 1. You need to sit comfortably on the floor, straightening your lower limbs forward, and lean your hands behind you. Stretch the toe of your right foot forward and then sharply pull it in the opposite direction (towards you). The exercise is performed ten times. Repeat similarly with the second leg. Tip: When performing exercises, it is recommended to spring your lower leg as much as possible.

Exercise No. 2. The position is similar to the previous one. Pull the toe of your right foot towards the floor, and the toe of your left foot towards you. Fix this state for 15 s, then change legs. performed with each leg at least five times.

Exercise No. 3. You need to stand on the toe of your left foot, bend your right foot around the calf muscle. In this position, you need to squat ten times and then change limbs and repeat.

Joint and bone deformities can also lead to bowed lower limbs. In this case, correction without surgery is possible. Yoga classes are recommended here, which requires careful selection of individual exercises. Therefore, you cannot do without seeking help from the appropriate instructor. To achieve the desired result, the duration of attendance at such classes must be at least a month.

To achieve slimness of your legs, you need to work regularly and remember the need to perform even basic physical exercises.

Only with persistence and desire will you allow, without hesitation, to wear beautiful and stylish women's clothing and not hide your own legs.

Causes

Bow legs in men and women are a rather serious problem, so many patients are interested in how to correct bow legs and why they are deformed in the first place. First, let's look at the reasons for curvature of the legs:

Disorders in the formation of bones and joints in childhood;
Incorrect and tight swaddling in infancy;
Cerebral palsy;
Excess body weight can lead to curvature even in adults.

Incorrect load distribution can provoke false asymmetry. If a person carries a bag every day in the same hand or on his shoulder, constantly sleeps on his side, or stands leaning on one limb, eventually the muscles on one side will become stronger than on the other. This point is very important when training in the gym, you need to perform all exercises symmetrically, with an equal number of repetitions on each leg.