What is bow legs?

Bowed legs typically come from two problems:

1. the bones of the legs can be actually "bowed", meaning that they are bent. This can be a deformity from childhood or the result of a bone disease. Very rare.

2. The knee joints start to fail resulting in a worn cartilige pad. If the pad is worn more on the inside of the knee it will result in the characteristic "old man" bowed knees. Replacing the knee joint with an artificial knee typically solves the problem.