Even if your bow legs are functional and don’t limit your movement, correcting your bow legs may be necessary to lessen your pain and head off further issues. Pairs of muscles cooperate. Muscle strength is inconsistent in situations like bow legs, which can hurt the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Over time, bow legs can raise the risk of developing osteoarthritis because they provide additional strain on the inside of the knee. Bow legs and being overweight impose additional strain on the joints in the legs, which can exacerbate joint discomfort.