A leg that curves outward at the knee, causing the knees to be abnormally separated when standing; also called genu varum.
From 'bow' (curved shape) plus 'leg'; the term describes how the legs form a bow or curve outward, like the shape of a bow weapon.
Bowlegs are actually common in healthy toddlers and usually correct themselves by age 3, but historically, severe bowlegs were often a sign of rickets, a disease caused by vitamin D deficiency that was once very common in industrial cities.
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