Toe Walking
Toe walking is a gait pattern in which the heels do not make contact with the ground. Intermittent toe walking can be common in typically developing toddlers and young children, however, problems can arise when toe walking becomes a child’s main walking pattern (>50% of the time). In some cases, toe walking can be a symptom of a known neurological condition. In other cases, toe walking can be referred to as Idiopathic Toe Walking in which there is no known cause.
Signs and Symptoms
There are many risk factors associated with toe walking, including prematurity or complications in early infancy, high or low muscle tone, and family history. Some signs and symptoms to watch out for include:
- Walking on tip toes on both sides
- Walks with straight knees
- Increased falls and/or poor balance
- Stiff foot and ankle joints
- Joint pain
- No heel contact on the ground during squats or jumping
- May develop tight calf muscles
- Shoes are worn out at the front
How Physiotherapy Can Help
Toe walking is a complicated presentation and can take many months to treat. Physiotherapists can help children who toe walk by establishing treatment plans to address the muscle imbalances associated with toe walking. Most treatment plans will focus on a combination of stretching and strengthening exercises focusing on the lower body, gait retraining, core strengthening, balance training, sensory desensitization, and home exercises to improve a child’s alignment and strength and to form new and more functional motor patterns.
Physiotherapists can also help with footwear selection, orthotic intervention, taping, and/or the use of electrical stimulation for specific muscle retraining if needed.
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