Why do Japanese people have bow legs? Why do Japanese people have bow legs?

Many friends will find that most Japanese people have bowed legs, especially Japanese girls, who are generally short and walk with their feet turned inward. In fact, this has a lot to do with Japanese culture. The following editor will introduce the reasons why Japanese people have bowed legs.

In fact, there are several factors that cause Japanese people to have bow legs. First, it is a tradition for Japanese women to walk with their feet turned inward. Since ancient times, Japanese women have been wearing kimonos. Wearing kimonos and walking with their feet turned inward is very fast and feminine. If this continues for a long time, their legs will naturally become bow-legged. This is also in their genes. Second, Japanese people always kneel when eating. This is also a kind of etiquette in their country, showing a respectful attitude. Even children kneel when eating. From generation to generation, they become bow-legged. Last but not least, in Japan, bow legs have become a representative of kawaii. Many girls deliberately walk with their feet turned inward to look good. They all like to sit like ducks, which will also affect their pelvis and thus the shape of their legs.

① Genetics

Although the distribution of muscle and fat may be different, the direction and shape of bones are largely inherited from parents. If parents have O-shaped legs, their children are likely to inherit O-shaped legs. However, even if you accidentally inherit O-shaped legs from your parents, you don't have to despair. As long as it is not some congenital genetic disease or the bones are already bent, it can still be corrected.

② Physical constitution

According to a Japanese website, the reason why Japanese people are prone to O-shaped legs is closely related to their overly "luxurious" physique. The reason is that Japanese people have less muscle mass than Europeans and Americans. Once the muscle mass decreases, the pressure on the leg bones to support the body weight will increase, making it easier to bend.

③ Learn to walk earlier

Most Japanese babies start learning to walk when they are 9-10 months old, which is about half a year earlier than in Europe and the United States. During this period, the baby's bone and muscle strength are not fully developed, so letting the child learn to walk too early can easily lead to bone deformation.

④ Seiza tradition

Japan has had a tradition of sitting upright since ancient times. Sitting upright on the ground with legs bent will undoubtedly add a lot of burden to the leg bones. In addition, the duck sitting position (ぺたんこ座り) often used by Japanese girls will also put a burden on the pelvis, causing the legs to become distorted.

Walking posture

Improper walking posture not only looks ungraceful, but also affects the development of bones and leg muscles. In the long run, it may also lead to leg deformities. Therefore, paying attention to adjusting walking posture in daily life is helpful to improve the problem of O-shaped legs. A good walking posture should be: stand upright → tuck in your stomach and straighten your waist → look straight ahead, swing your arms naturally on both sides of your body, point your toes slightly outward or straight forward, and take even steps. In addition, it should be noted that when walking, the center of gravity of the body should be placed on the inside of the legs, which is conducive to correcting the outward bending of the legs.

Clamping action

Whether we are waiting for the bus or subway, or at school or home, a simple clamping action can help us correct our leg shape. The key to the action is also very simple. Just straighten your legs and then clamp your knees. Do it for 15 minutes at a time, 2-3 times a day. It can not only correct bad leg shape, but also has the effect of slimming your legs.

Songshui Daozi Method

Japanese acupuncturist Michiko Matsui has developed a unique correction method for bow legs. Draw a straight line on the ground, or use the gap between two tiles on the floor of your home as a straight line, lift your hips slightly, and walk backwards along the straight line. Take bigger steps when walking to mobilize the muscles and joints of your thighs. When walking backwards, bend your ankles slightly, point your toes slightly upward, and let your soles land parallel to the ground. Practice 1-2 times a day.

However, no matter which correction method is used, only perseverance and persistence will be the most effective.

1. Stand with your feet together, hold your knees with your hands and do squat exercises with your knees facing forward, do this 20 to 30 times.

2. Lower your head, hold the tractor knees with both hands and do circular exercises to the left and right, do it 20 to 30 times.

3. Place your feet slightly apart, lower your head, and use your hands to hold your knees together and do the exercise of bringing your knees inward and holding for 10 seconds each time. Do 5 to 10 times.

4. Stand up with your feet parallel. First, use your heels as the axis to do external and internal rotation of your heels; then use your heels as the axis to do external and internal rotation of your heels, 20 to 30 times each.

5. Sit on a chair and hold the book with your calves as hard as you can for a certain period of time. If you tie your knees with an eraser tape, the effect will be more obvious.

6. Kneel on your legs, step on your waist, and slowly move your feet outward and forward, while your waist slowly straightens up. Do this 15 to 20 times.