Q.Case Study 1: Anjali, a student of class IX, was diagnosed with 'knock knees' which is becoming quite common in children due to lifestyle choices. She has seeked help from her physical education teacher. The teacher has advised her to practice certain exercises on a daily basis. a. What are the common causes for this postural deformity?
b. Suggest any two exercises for curing knock knees.
c. What other leg-related postural deformities are there?

Knock Knee Deformity

Knock knee, medically called genu valgum, is a leg alignment where the knees turn inward and touch or knock together in a standing posture, while a gap of roughly 3–4 inches remains between the ankles — the legs form a rough letter X from hip to foot, the mirror opposite of bow legs, which form an O shape.

What Is Happening in the Leg

Normally the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia) meet at a slight, controlled angle at the knee. In knock knee, the femur slants inward more than it should, pulling the knee toward the body's midline, while the lower leg angles back outward to reach the ground — leaving the ankles apart even when the knees are pressed together.

Who Gets It, and Why It Matters

Mild knock knee is common and normal in young children as part of typical growth, and it usually self-corrects by around age 7–8, though it can persist into adolescence in some cases. When it does not resolve, the uneven angle changes how weight passes through the knee joint — the outer (lateral) side gets compressed and the inner (medial) side gets stretched, which over time can cause pain, accelerate wear on the joint's cartilage, make walking or climbing stairs uncomfortable, and produce an awkward, compensating gait.

Causes

Besides the normal growth phase in early childhood, knock knee can result from injury or infection near the growth plate, rickets, a deficiency of vitamin D or calcium, obesity (which places extra load on developing bones), and arthritis that erodes the joint surface unevenly.

Correctives

The correctives prescribed for knock knee combine simple physical activity with specific therapeutic postures:

• Horse riding, which naturally works the inner thigh muscles against an outward-pulling position …