Yet one longitudinal study found that many children who had been treated with serial casts or surgery still continued to toe-walk for up to 13 years after treatment. Having multiple treatment options with varied success makes it hard for parents to choose the best treatment option.
Researchers agree that keeping calf muscles long enough to easily make heel contact with the ground is important for children who are diagnosed with idiopathic toe walking. There is also agreement that any child who is unable to get their heels to the ground at any time or continues to toe walk after three, should be assessed by a health professional. Do kids grow out of childhood asthma?
Nightmares and night terrors in kids: when do they stop being normal? Bed-wetting in older children and young adults is common and treatable. Migraines in childhood and adolescence: more than just a headache. Is hip dysplasia in my newborn something to worry about? Festival of Social Science — Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire. Edition: Available editions United Kingdom. Become an author Sign up as a reader Sign in.
Reviewed by: Abigail S. Helms, PA. Orthopedics at Nemours Children's Health. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Toe Walking? What Causes Toe Walking? They have tight calf muscles. Their Achilles tendon is tight. Typically, toe walking is a habit that develops when a child learns to walk.
In a few cases, toe walking is caused by an underlying condition, such as:. Persistent toe walking can increase a child's risk of falling. It can also result in a social stigma. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. This usually begins with taking a medical history. Examples of questions a doctor may ask include:.
Your doctor will also perform a physical examination. This will usually include asking to see you or your child walk.
They will also examine the feet and legs for development and range of motion. Other exams may include those for neurological function and muscle strength. Toe walking may be a concern because if it continues past age 5, a person may have problems walking with their heels down later in life, though most with idiopathic toe-walking do not.
If you toe walk most of the time, you may have problems wearing shoes comfortably or engaging in recreational activities involving wearing special shoes, such as roller skates. You may also fall more easily. Non-surgical treatment is usually recommended for children between ages 2 and 5, especially if they can walk flat-footed when prompted. Sometimes simply reminding a child to walk flat-footed can help.
As they get older, children with idiopathic toe walking almost always progress to flat-footed walking. If a person continues toe-walking after age 5, and is unable to walk flat-footed when asked, their muscles and tendons may be too tight for bracing or casting to stretch them.
As a result, your doctor may recommend surgery to lengthen a portion of the Achilles tendon. Following surgery, you will usually wear walking casts for four to six weeks.
0コメント