Does your child walk on the balls of their feet or with their feet turning in? Toe walking and in-toeing can occur for many different reasons and can cause your child to be at an increased risk for falls when moving around and at risk for abnormal forces being placed through their joints, which can cause pain.
Toe Walking
If your child is still toe-walking after age 2, there may be underlying conditions that are causing this. If prolonged, it can cause secondary complications including decreased flexibility in their ankles, increased risk for falling due to their abnormal walking pattern and inability to keep their balance, and difficulty with functional tasks including stairs, safe jumping, standing on 1 leg, and squatting.
Causes of Toe Walking
- Tight heel chords or tightness in their calves
- Decreased core strength
- Sensory seeking behaviors
What can PT do to help?
- Work to improve the range of motion deficits that may be present in their ankles
- Improve their core strength and ankle strength to improve their stability with heel-toe walking
- Balance training
- Orthotic and/or shoe recommendations
- *If sensory seeking behaviors are a concern, they child may additionally benefit from occupational therapy services to assist with sensory regulation.
In-Toeing
Another type of abnormal walking pattern that your child may display is walking with their toes turning in. Like toe walking, this can also lead to secondary complications including frequently tripping and falling.
Causes of In-Toeing
- Tight or weak hips
- W-sitting preference – children will prefer to W-sit because they have a weakened core, low muscle tone, or increased flexibility in their hips.
What can PT do to help?
- Improve flexibility in the muscles that internally rotate the hips
- Enhance the strength in the muscles that externally rotate the hips to help them maintain a more neutral alignment
- Improve balance and coordination to decreased their tripping and falling when they are walking
