Toe-Walking Therapy
In White Plains, NY. Servicing Westchester, NY & Fairfield County, CT.
What Is Toe Walking?
Have you observed your toddler constantly tip-toeing as they master their walking skills? This is not unusual for children under two years of age. By two years of age, their Toe-Walking typically disappears. But some children persist in Toe-Walking long after this age.
The cause of Toe-Walking can be as simple as the child having developed a habit of walking on their toes. Or there could be a muscle or ligament tightness or a sensory challenge that makes it uncomfortable or impossible to strike the ground with the heel first.
It’s important to help a child improve their gait as early as possible so that their overall coordination and walking are as comfortable and balanced as possible. At Physical Therapy 4 Kids, we have excellent success in helping children develop a normal walking pattern.
Causes of Toe-Walking
Some causes of Toe-Walking can only be identified by a pediatrician after proper tests are done. Causes of Toe-Walking include:
- Shortened achilles tendons that tighten the leg muscles, preventing heels from touching the ground
- Cerebral Palsy that tightens the muscles in the legs
- Muscular Dystrophy damage to muscle fibers, which weakens them and causes the child to rise up on their toes
- Vestibular system dysfunction which provides the brain with wrong signals about body movement
- Sensory processing disorders that may cause a child to dislike the feeling of their feet touching the floor
- Autism, which is also associated with a greater risk of Toe-Walking
There may also be no detectable cause of a child’s Toe-Walking. At Physical Therapy 4 Kids, our expert and experienced Physical Therapists address all these causes and more. We have so many ways to improve the tone of muscles, tendons and ligaments to make it possible for a child to achieve their natural gait when they walk or run.
What if Toe-Walking Is Not Treated?
We want to help children avoid any of these effects that could occur if their Toe-Walking is not corrected:
- Shortened muscles
- Frequent falls
- Poor balance and coordination
- Pain in lower joints
- Difficulty climbing stairs
- Poor ability to participate in sports
- Misshapen feet
- Problems being fit for or wearing shoes
How Toe-Walking Is Treated at Physical Therapy 4 Kids
We have built an entire gym that provides children with a delightful variety of stretching and strengthening equipment. Our therapists are always hands-on, helping children stretch their muscles and tendons. We make it easy for your child to stay engaged by making every activity fun and rewarding.
While we’re having your child walk on uneven or textured surfaces to improve flexibility, we can turn this activity into a game that challenges your child to do their very best each time. As we guide your child through exercises that increase their range of motion, we keep them winning with lots of communication and validation so they enjoy the activities.
Each treatment plan is customized to the child. The treatment for a child who is Toe-Walking due to a sensory processing disorder would of course be completely different from the plan for a child with tight Achilles tendons.
Contact Physical Therapy 4 Kids for Help with Toe-Walking!
One of the best things about being treated for Toe-Walking at Physical Therapy 4 Kids is that we keep Physical Therapy fun! It is important to us that every visit, every exercise and every procedure is positive and enjoyable. That helps your child want to come back for more therapy, all the way to their graduation from Physical Therapy!
For assistance with Toe-Walking in White Plains, or Westchester, NY, and Fairfield County, CT, call us to learn how we can help!
