Paediatrics /
Toe Walking
WHAT IS TOE WALKING?
A condition where a child doesn’t weight bear on the heel of their foot – walking on ‘tip toes’
Very common condition amongst children under 3 as they are learning to walk
Sometimes there can be an underlying reason for why your child is toe-walking, this can be investigated by a podiatrist and can help to rule out any cause for concern
WHAT CAUSES TOE WALKING?
Habitual/unknown cause
Child can physically touch heel to ground but chooses to walk on toes or does so out of habit
May be trying to make themselves taller
Young girls pretending to be ballerinas etc
Some equipment use
Certain medical conditions have links to toe walking
Cerebral palsy
Muscular dystrophy
Global developmental delay
Autism/Hypersensitivity
Greater sensitivity to touch can lead a child to toe walk due to avoiding touching the ground as much as possible
Sever’s disease
Too painful to place heel on ground therefore the child will toe-walk as a result
WHAT PROBLEMS MAY OCCUR IF MY CHILD CONTINUES TO TOE WALK?
Heel bone narrows and foot posture changes
Child is unstable and falls over more frequently
Increased frequency of injury
Knees instability
Lower back pain
Shortening of the calf muscles
Postural concerns
Difficulty adapting to wearing footwear
HOW WILL A PODIATRIST MANAGE MY CHILD’S TOE WALKNG?
A comprehensive assessment of the lower limb and their foot biomechanics will be performed
Treatment will depend on the cause and severity of your child’s toe walking
May include:
Stretching/strengthening programs
Orthotic therapy
Gait plates
Strapping
Footwear advice
Home exercise recommendations
Dry needling (depending on age)
Splinting/casting – podiatrist would refer to appropriate practitioner if this path was required
WHAT IS TOE WALKING?
A condition where a child doesn’t weight bear on the heel of their foot – walking on ‘tip toes’
Very common condition amongst children under 3 as they are learning to walk
Sometimes there can be an underlying reason for why your child is toe-walking, this can be investigated by a podiatrist and can help to rule out any cause for concern
WHAT CAUSES TOE WALKING?
Habitual/unknown cause
Child can physically touch heel to ground but chooses to walk on toes or does so out of habit
May be trying to make themselves taller
Young girls pretending to be ballerinas etc
Some equipment use
Certain medical conditions have links to toe walking
Cerebral palsy
Muscular dystrophy
Global developmental delay
Autism/Hypersensitivity
Greater sensitivity to touch can lead a child to toe walk due to avoiding touching the ground as much as possible
Sever’s disease
Too painful to place heel on ground therefore the child will toe-walk as a result
WHAT PROBLEMS MAY OCCUR IF MY CHILD CONTINUES TO TOE WALK?
Heel bone narrows and foot posture changes
Child is unstable and falls over more frequently
Increased frequency of injury
Knees instability
Lower back pain
Shortening of the calf muscles
Postural concerns
Difficulty adapting to wearing footwear
HOW WILL A PODIATRIST MANAGE MY CHILD’S TOE WALKNG?
A comprehensive assessment of the lower limb and their foot biomechanics will be performed
Treatment will depend on the cause and severity of your child’s toe walking
May include:
Stretching/strengthening programs
Orthotic therapy
Gait plates
Strapping
Footwear advice
Home exercise recommendations
Dry needling (depending on age)
Splinting/casting – podiatrist would refer to appropriate practitioner if this path was required
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