<< Go Back To Articles Directory

Can squats and calf raises improve bow legs?

Exercising the joints and the core muscles of the body can prove vital in one's efforts to improve and straighten bow legs. You must exercise and begin to use the legs in a normal manner before they will begin to straighten. It also helps to do special exercises that strengthen corresponding muscles involved in supporting the legs. Exercising can also help in reinforcing one's belief in the fact that one is actually, through one's own efforts, capable of improving this condition.

Squats and calf raises are among the best basic exercises for bow legs as they concentrate on key elements needed to improve the condition. These exercises concentrate on posture, balance, strengthening and bending of the knee. They also strengthen the core muscles and bodily joints such as the hip, shoulder and vertebral joints.

Of course, while doing any of these exercises, it is critically important to STOP the exercise as soon as your knees show any sign of pain or of being overworked. Resume the exercise only once your knees feel better.

Training at squats
To do a squat you need to stand with both your feet shoulder width apart, with your toes pointing forward and slightly outwards. You should stand tall, bearing in mind that one of your goals here is regaining proper skeletal alignment. Place your hands behind your head and slowly start bending your knees and lowering your body gently into the squatting position. It is important to avoid letting the knees bend forward too much as you do this, as this in itself can be rather damaging to your knees.

Please ensure that you maintain a balanced posture, with your back straight and as erect as possible. Keeping your eyes focused on an some object in front of you can help in holding your head high, thus maintaining correct posture. Once you feel that your knees cannot bend any more or help your body go any lower, hold that position for around 3 seconds and then slowly straighten your legs, returning to the original standing position.

Repeat this 2 to 3 times a day, and eventually you will begin to notice that your legs begin to straighten, allowing your squat to get progressively deeper with time.

Calf raises
The idea here is to raise your body on to your toes by contracting the calf muscles. Look for a step along a staircase or an elevation that has an edge you can use to stand on while balancing on your toes. Stand on this, with your feet level with the surface - this is the starting position. Then, maintaining a focused balance, slowly raise your body up on to your toes as high as you possibly can. Hold yourself in this position for a few seconds.

Then, slowly lower your body so that your heels hang below the level of the surface you are standing on, ensuring that you maintain your balance throughout this movement. Hold this position for around 3 seconds before returning to the starting position.

Repeat this 3-4 more times or as many times as possible without over-straining your knees.

Bow legs are known to affect body posture and to cause damage to a host of joints within the body. So, it is vital to consider exercises that strengthen the body as a whole and improve overall balance. After all, the body does eventually function as one unit. And this can be achieved through simple exercises such as stepping or balancing routines and squats. While a more complex routine is necessary to fully correct bow legs, these simple exercises are a beginning, and will set you on the path to attaining a normal and fully functional body.


<< Go Back To Articles Directory