About this topic
Toe walking is when you walk with your weight on your toes or the balls of your feet. It is common in children who are 12 to 18 months old. Most children start to walk normally as they grow older. It may point to other health problems if a child keeps walking on the toes after age 2. ‚
What are the causes?
Most often, toe walking is a habit. Your child starts to do this while learning to walk. In some cases, toe walking is caused by serious health problems. These are: ‚
- A small Achilles tendon ¢ ˆ ’ Connects the muscles of the lower leg to the back of the heel bone
- Muscular dystrophy ¢ ˆ ’ A genetic disease causes the muscles to be easily damaged and weaken over time
- Cerebral palsy ¢ ˆ ’ Areas of the brain that control movement and posture do not develop or are damaged
- Autism ¢ ˆ ’ Brain disease that impairs social interaction and communication
What can make this more likely to happen?
Family history of toe walking ‚
What are the main signs?
Your child keeps walking on the toes or the balls of the feet after 2 years of age. ‚
How does the doctor diagnose this health problem?
Your childs doctor will ask about your child's history do an exam. The doctor will want to know when your child started toe walking. The doctor will feel your child's feet and legs and check for numbness and lack of strength. Your child may need to have tests like: ‚
- Electromyogram (EMG) ¢ ˆ ’ The doctor will put a thin needle into the muscles of the leg. This will measure the electrical activity of the muscles.
- Neurological tests ¢ ˆ ’ This will help the doctor rule out other neurological health problems that may cause toe walking.
How does the doctor treat this health problem?
Most often, there is no care needed for toe walking. Your child may outgrow this habit and will start walking in a normal way. The doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your childs progress. Be sure to keep these visits. ‚
Sometimes, toe walking limits how your child is able to move. If this is true, your child's doctor may order some things to help your child walk normally. ‚
- Physical therapy ¢ ˆ ’ May help your child walk on the feet and not on the toes. It may also help your child with balance and body control.
- Braces or splint ¢ ˆ ’ Tools to keep your child from walking on the toes. They may also help to stretch out your child's Achilles tendon.
- Serial casting ¢ ˆ ’ The doctor will put a cast your child's leg from below the knee to the foot. The doctor will make sure that the Achilles tendon is stretched. The cast will be changed weekly with progressive stretching.
- Botox ‚ ® therapy ¢ ˆ ’ It is used to paralyze the calf muscles. This will help stop the muscle from opposing the Achilles tendon when it stretches. This therapy is used at the same time with the splint or cast.
- If other treatment choices have not helped, the doctor may suggest surgery. This will help to stretch or lengthen the muscles in the back of your child's leg.
Are there other health problems to treat?
The doctor will treat any other conditions that may be causing your childs toe walking. ‚
Will there be any other care needed?
Your childs doctor may also send you to a nerve doctor if the condition is caused by other health problems like cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy. ‚
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
There is no exact reason for toe walking. There are ways to help lower the chance of getting this condition. These include: ‚
- Foot and leg massage ¢ ˆ ’ Helps your child relax with many kinds of touch on the feet and legs. You may also have your child stomp on other textures like sand or dirt.
- Proprioceptive activities ¢ ˆ ’ Helps your child become aware of the position of the body parts without looking. Have your child jump on a small trampoline or jump over ropes.
- Motor control activities ¢ ˆ ’ Helps your child control body movements. Have your child walk forward and backward. Have your child walk like a penguin or squat down.
- Balance activities ¢ ˆ ’ Helps your childs balance. Help your child learn to stand on one foot, walk on a line, or kick a ball.
- Stretching activities ¢ ˆ ’ Help your child stretch and flex the calf muscles. Have your child lie down facing up. Bring your child's foot towards the head and bend the ankle. Stretch your child's leg as far as your child can. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds. Do this on the other leg as well.
- Strengthening activities ¢ ˆ ’ Helps make the muscles in your child's leg stronger. Have your child pick up small objects like pebbles with the toes. Teach your child to draw the alphabet in the air with the toes.
Where can I learn more?
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/bones/common_ortho.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚