My Baby Crosses Their Legs When Standing
The short answer
Leg scissoring or crossing when a baby is held in a standing position can be a sign of increased muscle tone (hypertonia) in the leg muscles. While occasional leg crossing is not always concerning, persistent scissoring should be evaluated by your pediatrician, as it can indicate spasticity or other neuromuscular conditions that benefit from early therapy.
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By Age
What to expect by age
Some leg stiffness and crossing in newborns can be normal, especially in babies who were in a breech position. However, persistent scissoring when held upright should be mentioned to your pediatrician at the next visit. Your doctor can assess whether the tone is within normal range.
If your baby consistently crosses their legs when held in standing, this warrants evaluation. Normal babies at this age should be able to bear weight with legs apart. Scissoring can indicate tight adductor muscles or increased lower extremity tone that benefits from early intervention.
Persistent leg scissoring at this age is concerning and should be evaluated promptly. Your baby should be able to stand with support with legs apart by now. Your pediatrician may refer to a pediatric neurologist or physical therapist for further assessment.
If leg crossing persists, thorough evaluation is important. Early physical therapy and stretching can make a significant difference in outcomes for children with increased muscle tone. Do not wait to address this concern.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your baby occasionally crosses legs but can easily be repositioned with legs apart.
- Your newborn was breech and has mild, resolving leg positioning.
- Leg crossing only happens briefly and your baby can bear weight with legs apart.
- Your baby consistently crosses or scissors their legs when held in standing.
- Your baby's legs feel stiff or resist being separated.
- Scissoring is present every time your baby is held upright.
- Your baby also has stiffness in other parts of their body.
- Your baby's leg scissoring is worsening or new neurological symptoms are appearing.
- Your baby has lost motor skills alongside the leg crossing.
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Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
Worrying about your baby means you care. That is a good thing.
Related Physical Concerns
My Baby Seems Too Stiff (Hypertonia)
Hypertonia means your baby's muscles feel unusually tight or stiff, making it hard to bend or move their limbs. While some stiffness can be normal during certain movements (like when a baby is startled or upset), persistent stiffness at rest warrants evaluation. Early identification and physical therapy can make a significant difference.
Signs of Spasticity vs Normal Stiffness in Babies
Spasticity is velocity-dependent stiffness, meaning muscles resist fast movement more than slow movement. Normal baby stiffness occurs briefly during excitement or startle and resolves quickly. Spasticity is persistent, may affect one or more limbs, and often worsens with growth. Your pediatrician can perform specific tests to distinguish between normal tone variation and spasticity.
My Baby's Legs Are Stiff When Held Standing
While some babies stiffen their legs momentarily when excited about standing, persistently stiff legs that resist bending may indicate increased muscle tone (hypertonia). It is important to distinguish between a baby happily stiffening their legs to bear weight (normal) and legs that are rigid and difficult to bend (warrants evaluation).
My Baby Seems to Use One Side More Than the Other
Babies should use both sides of their body fairly equally during the first 18 months of life. While slight preferences can be normal, a consistent pattern of favoring one side - using one arm much more than the other, crawling with one leg dragging, or turning the head predominantly one way - should always be discussed with your pediatrician. Early identification of asymmetry leads to the best outcomes.
My Baby Only Army Crawls
Army crawling (also called commando crawling) is a completely valid and normal way for babies to move. Many babies army crawl for weeks or even months before transitioning to hands-and-knees crawling, and some skip hands-and-knees crawling entirely. What matters is that your baby is independently mobile and exploring their environment.
One Side of My Baby's Body Moves Differently
Babies should generally use both sides of their body equally. If one side consistently moves differently, is weaker, stiffer, or less coordinated, this warrants evaluation. Asymmetric movement can indicate hemiplegia (cerebral palsy affecting one side), brachial plexus injury, or other neurological conditions that benefit from early therapy.