How Pediatric PT Helps Toe-Walkers Develop Normal Gaits
If you’ve noticed your toddler walking on the tips of their toes, it could be a normal part of development or it could indicate a delay. I’m Reilly Peterson, and I am a physical therapist at Metro Therapy in Fridley, Minnesota. Today, we are going to be talking about toe walkers.
What Is Toe Walking?
You may see your kiddos start to walk up on their tippy-toes, and that could be normal from 15 months and younger. When they're first starting to get a feel of their feet and walking around, that is completely normal. But if you see that beyond 15 months or several months after they’ve started walking, then you might want to come in for a physical therapy evaluation.
What Causes Toe Walking?
There can be a number of different reasons for toe walking, such as neurological conditions like cerebral palsy. Also, if your child has more sensory needs, they get more sensory input when they're up on their tiptoes. And there's something we call idiopathic toe walking, where the reason for the toe walking is unknown.
How Do Physical Therapists Treat Toe Walking?
In physical therapy, we can treat toe walking through a number of different ways:
We address all components of toe walking, including their sensory needs.
We do stretching programs with a lot of balance.
We help retrain their muscles to essentially learn how to walk with a normal heel-toe gait pattern.
Occupational therapy might also be warranted if your child has those extra sensory needs, since OT and PT complement each other really well to address all of your child’s needs.
Call Metro Therapy for an Evaluation
If you see your child toe walking or have any concerns with their walking, you can call our number at (763) 450-9400 to make an appointment or do a screening for either physical therapy or occupational therapy.
