Toe walking in children: Should parents be concerned?
Walking considered as one of the important milestones for a child specifically during their infancy and toddlerhood. So, it is quite obvious that when a child faces difficulty in walking, parents might get concerned. Keep reading to understand more about toe walking in children, it causes and when parents should get concerned about it.
What is Toe Walking?
As it is self-explanatory, toe walking is when a child walks on his tiptoes and the heel couldn’t make any contact with the ground at each step. We might see this problem in many children while their developmental stage; when they learn to walk and it may continue till the age of two-three. As per several types of research, most of the children by this age can able to walk normally.
Causes of toe walking in children?
There are several reasons associated with toe walking and in some cases, it is symptomatic of a primary physical issue, neurological disorders.
When parents must understand that child’s toe walking is a sign of concern?
Toe walking is itself a cause of concern and you must consult a paediatric orthopaedic if: -
Treatment for Toe- walking
The treatment of toe walking depends on the cause of toe walking, severity and age of the child. Non-surgical treatment is considered for children age between 2-5 years, at least who can walk flat-footed as per requirement. Other treatments include wearing special leg casts or putting a brace on the ankle. But if the problem remains beyond the age of 5 and even unable to walk flat-footed, the paediatric orthopaedic surgeon might opt for surgery. The Department of Pediatric Orthopedics at Neotia Bhagirathi Woman and Child Care Centre, New Town offers state-of-the-art services backed by expert pediatric orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapist along with a skilled team of nurses to diagnose and treat ankle sprain of children along with any other orthopaedic complication.
What is Toe Walking?
As it is self-explanatory, toe walking is when a child walks on his tiptoes and the heel couldn’t make any contact with the ground at each step. We might see this problem in many children while their developmental stage; when they learn to walk and it may continue till the age of two-three. As per several types of research, most of the children by this age can able to walk normally.
Causes of toe walking in children?
There are several reasons associated with toe walking and in some cases, it is symptomatic of a primary physical issue, neurological disorders.
- Idiopathic/habitual- It refers to when there is no particular cause of toe walking in a child and it is more to be habitual. As per several types of research, many children make a habit of walking on their heel-to-toe which can be corrected naturally as they grow up.
- Tight Achilles Tendon- The Achilles Tendon helps to attach the calf muscles to the back of the heel. Tightness in this calf muscle raises the heel of the toe and a child will unable to contact with the ground.
- Muscular Dystrophy- This is a genetic condition that leads to muscle weakness and one of the primary side effects is toe walking.
- Cerebral palsy- Muscle tone, coordination and posture gets affected due to this condition. Children who are experiencing cerebral palsy may experience unstable walking along with toe walking.
When parents must understand that child’s toe walking is a sign of concern?
Toe walking is itself a cause of concern and you must consult a paediatric orthopaedic if: -
- Stiffness in muscles, especially in legs or ankles
- Poor growth of motor skills
- Not able to bear weight on flat foot
- Unable to eye contact
- Repetitive behaviors
Treatment for Toe- walking
The treatment of toe walking depends on the cause of toe walking, severity and age of the child. Non-surgical treatment is considered for children age between 2-5 years, at least who can walk flat-footed as per requirement. Other treatments include wearing special leg casts or putting a brace on the ankle. But if the problem remains beyond the age of 5 and even unable to walk flat-footed, the paediatric orthopaedic surgeon might opt for surgery. The Department of Pediatric Orthopedics at Neotia Bhagirathi Woman and Child Care Centre, New Town offers state-of-the-art services backed by expert pediatric orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapist along with a skilled team of nurses to diagnose and treat ankle sprain of children along with any other orthopaedic complication.