Toe walking is a common reason for a child to see a pediatric physical therapist. However, it can often be viewed as a “wait and see” concern when mentioned to your child’s doctor. When should you be concerned? Why is this potentially problematic? Let me help!
When Should I be concerned if my child is walking on their toes:
- Your child has been walking on their own for 3 months
- Your child is on their toes more during the day than they are on flat feet
- At any age but especially if they are over 2 years old
- Unable to stand/walk with heels on the floor
- Toe walking continues consistently for 1 month
Why might a child toe walk:
- Excess or reduced motion at the ankle
- Weakness at the ankle and foot
- Underlying neurological or musculoskeletal condition
- Abnormal sensory processing
Why is toe walking a concern?
To put it simply, when walking on the toes you’re not using the proper muscles to move which causes compensations all the way up the body. Rather than engaging the proper muscles to keep the body upright, a child will rely on the positioning of their joints and the tension through their ligaments and tendons to support themselves. In other words, we don’t train and strengthen the correct muscles for walking and standing. This can lead to some muscle groups being overworked and others being overstretched. Both scenarios lead to weakness and poor movement strategies. Over time, and as your child grows, this can lead to unwanted stress on the body and cause pain.
Common Findings in Children who Toe Walk:
- Frequent running instead of walking
- Difficulty stopping forward momentum and frequent falling
- “clumsy”, poor balance, poor coordination
- Abnormal posture while standing (shoulders pulled back, tummy out), slouched while sitting or a preference to w-sit
- Difficulty with stairs
- Difficulty with squatting
Through therapy your child will strengthen muscles currently not being used properly, and lengthen those that are tightened and overworked. Therapy will also assist your child to gain proper body control, maintain proper balance, and avoid injury and pain throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood.
