Pediatric Foot & Ankle is a Phoenix based pediatric podiatry clinic dedicated to providing the highest quality of care possible for children's feet. On our channel we share informative videos about various children's foot and ankle problems and how to prevent or treat each one.
For a full list of children's foot conditions visit : pediatricfootankle.com/foot-conditions/
Learn more about Dr. Jarman: pediatricfootankle.com/doctors/
I'm 45 and I did this until I was around 5 or 6 years old and I have no idea why. I don't even remember when or how I switched to walking normally but I know I never saw a doctor for it. I have ADHD but otherwise I don't have any conditions I'm aware of, and my ADHD is fairly mild now (though it was rather severe in elementary and middle school). My memories of this are very strange. I didn't give it any thought until I was with my biological dad one day (who I didn't see very often) and he told me to stop walking like a girl. From then on I became very self conscious about it and I think this may be the main reason I stopped doing it. Before that I had no idea that what I was doing was usual.
I have this…well…had this. Left foot: 40° off the ground, right foot: 35°. The doctor said it was the worst he’s seen in a while. Nothing genetic caused it. It was just birth defect type of thing. 10 years ago I got surgery to correct it. Got it done on both feet at the same time. My right foot has been fantastic and has a full range of motion like a normal foot. My left foot was slightly under corrected and so even though I could put it flat, it wouldn’t go past that, This caused scar tissue buildup on the joint and other problems to start happening in the left foot. I actually just had another surgery 4 days ago to correct it. Doctor says my range of motion has increased by about 5%-10%. We’ll see for sure when I start PT next week but I can already tell that it’s improved just from the fact that my foot lays flat on the boot without any issues.
I toe walked all throughout my youth. I only began to adapt due to injuries and became more aware about how abnormal it was. The age i started to change my gait was around 11-13. At some point i injured the ball of my right foot and this prevented me walking in the same way. To deal with this, i began to twist my right ankle outwardsso i could use the arch as a spingboard rather than the directly over the toes. This lead to the second stage of walking. I would walk with essentially a trendeleburg gait. Using my left leg as a pole type pivot and swinging my right leg. This gait pattern was never consistent and it tended to switch in and out of different faulty gait patterns. Overall, the most common one was an antalgic gait, according to my chiropracter. My standing position generally includes most of my weight over my left leg whereas my right has 20% if its feeling very good. I also tend to put more weight on my forefoot, and tend to avoid putting weight on my heel. It recently clicked for me that throughout my entire life i have avoided putting weight on my right heel. Either its painful and im so wired to not go there to avoid the pain that i stuggle to even begin the movement necessary. The thing is, i do have severely limited dorsiflexion on both sides, mainly my right but i dont really get pain in my lower leg much anymore, probably due to the fact i put way less weight on it now. I did during the gait change period say 12-16 get really bad shin splints and the ankle joint itself felt very stiff and sore. How likely is it that this is the cause of all my issues? Im now stuck in a fake version of left stance, from what i understand, it seems like due to the naturally asymmetric nature of our brain and body composition, i developed into the standard left aic right bc postural pattern. I however was toe walking so i was never really usinng the right stance properly and certainly was never really able to shift out of the left aic pattern into left stance. This was my base posture. I then injured various elements of my right leg, needed to opperate in my stuck right stance, so my body desperately seeked a way to shift onto my left leg. I had no way to push properly into my left side, and no idea how i would even do that anyway. But i NEEDED, to be able to shift weight onto the left leg. This has lead to me, being in right stance, but heavily twisting my body to the left, and despite still being stacked over the right leg, with the ribs closer to the hips on that side, i then lean that entire structure over to the left. My default posture now is this right stance position with everything twisted and leaning to force weight distribution onto my left leg. Repetitive Rotation Superior T8 Syndrome pattern. Is the name given to the postural pattern i find myself in. The pain i tend to get comes from the lower back and hips, rather than the ankles and lower legs. What i would love to know, and really appreciate your input on, would be: How likely is it that my problems all stem from restricted ankles and short achillies, or would it be more likely to stem from elsewhere? Added info. Ive had a hip xray and structurally it is relatively normal. Theres clear signs the pelvis is both angled down to the left and also twisted. This is causing a functional leg length discrepancy, making my right side effectively shorter, and therefore making it even more difficult to, first get propperly into right stance and then to be able to truelly shift into left stance. I also have diagnosed adhd and im not diagnosed with autism, but i do exhibit very mild indication.
The Gastroc-soleus Equinus that you are describing here is driving these problems. I would advise to seriously consider seeing a specialist to resolve this condition. It may be your start to resolution of some of these other symptoms you have mentioned. The link below may be helpful in finding a qualified specialist. If you have any further questions, please contact our clinic directly. Thank you for watching. our video and sharing your experience. www.apma.org/ pediatricfootankle.com/
I am currently 14 years old I have been toe walking ever since I learned to walk , I toe walk even in shoes ( recently my parents asked me to walk properly and when I put my feet correctly it hurts my calves and I feel a stretch ) I went to a physiotherapist and did some therapy for a couple weeks which helped relieve the pain but the problem is that I can’t stand with my heels completely touching the floor and it hurts when I walk normally and even while doing any sort of activity I went to an orthopedist and they straight up told me that at this age I have to under go gastrocnemius surgery .. which is done in a government hospital near the area … I do not know what to do . I went to the orthopedist the doc had told us about they did certain check ups and sent me to a neurologist for a check up of my nerves and stuff .
Toe walking can be a symptom of certain neurologic conditions so having a neuro work up makes sense. If it is structural and not neurological, and you and your parents want the condition resolved, then yes, surgery can resolve it. A word of advice, if you choose surgery, make sure the provider does this surgery regularly and sets realistic expectations for the outcome. If you or your parents have any questions please feel free to contact our office directly. Thanks for watching our video and sharing your experience. pediatricfootankle.com/
I'm 14 but started getting called out for it the previous year.I was called a penguin but didn't really care back then.Now I've done a lot of research and I figured it was just a habit, but will also do excersise because I feel a little pain on my ankles sometimes. Now I started walking heel to toe and at first it felt unatural and weird, but now I do it naturally.
Consider seeing a podiatrist to address the condition, so you can get some relief. The link below may help you to find a qualified provider. Thanks for watching our video. www.apma.org/
I'm a 23 autistic male. I've been walking on my toes all my life. I'm trying to see if there's ways & methods I can take to correct it. I want to know the proper ways it can help me walk regular. What to do or can it be fix at all? I know toe walking is common in people with autism but could it be fixed.
Yes, it can be resolved. Even if your toe walking began as neurological, by age 23, it is likely now structural. We have noted a link for finding a qualified provider if you choose to have the surgery. If you have a consult with a provider, verify that they do this type of surgery regularly. Also, our contact information is provided if you have any further questions. Thank you for sharing your experience and watching our video. www.apma.org/ pediatricfootankle.com/
I had ingrown toenails on both feet an year ago and doctors removed the complete nails and now my nails grow again and the infection is started again and it hurts too bad what should i do?
See your provider again or maybe a different provider? In our clinic, a clipping of the area is sent to pathology to identify the infection so we know what medication will be most effective for treatment. Thanks for watching the video and sharing your experience.
I had 2 month grown up plantar wart on my foot ,but it's not pain full until its hit by something sharp And now it is taken out by incision, will it come again ?
Hi Doctor, Just a few questions for a 40 year old: Does this alleviate foot/ankle pain long term? How much does this affect ankle mobility? Can you play high foot impact sports like basketball, boxing, tennis? How does this affect running/jogging/ lifting weights such as deadlift and squats? Can all the above sports and exercises be improved/safe to do? Thank you
In our practice, patients do report relief in the ankle and foot. The stent does not affect mobility. Many adults, children and athletes have HyProCures, including marathon runners. We have provided a link addressing patient education that you may find helpful. Thanks for watching the video. www.gramedica.com/products/hyprocure/hyprocure-patient-education/
Hello Please help. Im from iraq, my 3 years old son is having right feet tip toe. We meet with more than 10 different doctors, here are three advices from them: 1. Doing physical therapy for three months (we did it 1.5 month and see no effect). 2. Doing surgery. But some of them said the surgery may not effect and the child gonna walk on his toes again, or he will not be able to walk normally. 3. Doing the surgery at age 8 years or older. We are very confused and don’t know what to do, and the case getting worse day after day. Thanks for helping 🙏🏻
In our clinic, for a three year old, we treat conservatively first. Physical therapy can help somewhat. However, we utilize a toe walking brace that our patient wears at night (a full 8 hours in a 24 hour cycle) during the body's time to rest and repair. This lightweight brace passively stretches the achilles tendon. Treatment is usually 6-12 months. Also, your provider should definitely have determined if the restriction to walking with a heel toe gait is structural versus neurologic. Since it is one foot only, other possible causes should be ruled out. Age three is young for this surgery in our opinion. We have included a link for your review, for the toe walking brace we utilize with our patients. Thank you for watching our video and sharing your experience. Please feel free to contact our clinic directly should you have any other questions. pediatricorthotic.com/products/#pediatric-night-brace pediatricfootankle.com/
I toe walked starting at the age of 3. For a lot of my childhood, I was going to lots of doctors and trying different things. Physical Therapy on multiple occasions. Never made even the slightest difference. Botox shots in my legs. Didn’t help, just very painful. Wearing a cast to not use the muscle. Wasted my time. Finally I got surgery. My parents did everything they could to avoid it but it worked.My right foot was fixed completely. My left foot was under corrected and so I actually got surgery to fix it a few days ago because it caused lots of complications and pain. Now that I was old enough to take this into my own hands, I told my doctor all the things I’ve been through in the past and at this point, I just wanted to skip right to surgery. He completely understood and said that sounds like a good idea. I don’t regret that one bit. My advice, don’t be afraid of surgery for them. You get it over with And it’s all done much faster than avoiding it
Trust your doctor and try to focus on the thousands of children who have had the surgery who no longer walk on their toes. The process of healing takes some time but just follow the post surgery recommendations and you'll be fine. Thank you for watching our video.
My son just turned 12 he can put his foot down when asked but does not stay down he is also autistic braces didn't really work they were so uncomfortable for him I'm thinking he might need surgery 😟
Thanks for watching our video. Having your son evaluated by a pediatric podiatrist would make sense, especially at age 12. When toe walkers are younger (toddler to age six) bracing consistently can be very effective. However, in our practice, surgery is often the parent's decision to resolve the condition for older children. We have provided two links below that may be helpful. The first is to find a qualified provider in the area where you reside. If you have your son evaluated and decide to go the surgery route, we advise you to make sure it's a doctor who does this type of surgery regularly. The second is our contact page should you have any further questions or want to schedule a virtual consult. Thank you for sharing your son's experience. www.apma.org/ pediatricfootankle.com/
Yes, from your description, it sounds like a wart. The dark area can look like a follicle. We suggest getting treatment by a qualified podiatrist. The link below may be helpful to you in finding one where you reside. Thanks for watching our video. www.apma.org/
From your description, a podiatry consult would be a good idea. Not knowing where you reside, the links below may be helpful. Thanks for watching our video. www.apma.org/ pediatricorthotic.com/product/the-pediatric-toe-walking-brace/
I appreciate this video. My 9year old has the same issue. We just completed a 10 day round of antibiotic and the infection has gone down. We see a podiatrist 6/13 and this helps understand what to expect.
Keep an eye on it. If you start to experience discomfort and see the area becoming red and possibly swelling a bit, get to a podiatrist for treatment. Thanks for watching our video.
I have a question, I had this surgery back in 2019, is it nornal for your feet to still hurt even after you had the surgery? Thanks for the educational video ! I really found it interesting
It's not expected to have residual pain after surgery. My first question in any workup would be what were the other findings on the MRI you received before surgery? That information might aid in setting proper expectations post- operatively. Thanks for watching our video. Please let me know if you have any further questions. - Dr. Jarman
It's definitely not recommended. However, keep the area clean and dry so you don't risk infection. If any pain, redness, swelling or fluid from the site is noticed, get to a podiatrist. The link below may be helpful in finding one, if needed. Thanks for watching our video. www.apma.org/
Statistically, you get the same number of toe-walkers as adults whether they have surgery as children to "fix" toe-walking or not. In other words, within the population of children who walk on their toes, there is no statistical difference in long-term outcome between those who do and don't have surgery. I'd strongly suggest parents get a lot of opinions before putting kids through this.
If an adult had surgery to correct toe walking as a child or adolescent but continues to toe walk, chances are the wrong procedure was performed or there may be another anomaly in play, structural versus neurological. There are several factors that determine if an Equinus patient will benefit from surgical intervention. And yes I agree, a second opinion is never a bad idea.Thank you for watching our video and sharing your opinion.
@@PediatricFootAnkle The studies I saw may have been related to idiopathic toe walking. I was a toe walker as a child, surgery in a medical hospital because "if she doesn't get the surgery she will be in a wheelchair by the time she is 21". No difference in my walking gait after the surgery. Never had an issue with my walk, feet, or back (I'm 56). My daughter was a toe walker, the pediatrician said not to worry about it at all, she now is told she has such amazing posture (she doesn't, she has some stiffness that gives the appearance of intentional good posture). So when I saw the study that outcomes are the same with or without surgery, that resonated with me. But I may certainly be only partially informed. Thanks!
I'm currently working on a study due to be complete in approximately five months on the correlation of anatomical variations in the back of the leg and toe walking. Literature on Equinus is limited. I believe there are only 24 papers on this topic because there is no incentive for a physician to publish. My hope is my study will too, inform/educate those seeking more information on the treatment of this condition. Thank you for sharing your experience. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact my office. - Dr. Jarman
If you ever consider addressing the condition, the link below may be helpful in finding a qualified provider. Thanks for watching the video. www.apma.org/
We need more wide width shoe companies. I’m not plus sized but I’ve bought shoes from Torrid because I have wide feet and I’ve had the ingrown nail procedure before.
I'm in my mid 20's, I still walk on my toes. I've never had any pain from it. I do kickboxing now and staying on my toes keeps me light on my feet. I also have insane calf muscles because of it. I just need to be careful to stretch out regularly so the muscles don't get too tight and stress out my ankles or knees. My mom always told me I was going to tear up my feet, but I've not had any real problems with it.
A gait of rolling from heel to toe creates a more natural stride but can be difficult and frustrating for toe walkers. It creates a visual effect not structural. The root of toe walking is a tightness in the back of the leg and this is solved by conservative or surgical lengthening of the constriction in the back of the leg. Thanks for watching our video.
Thanks for watching our video and your inquiry. Per your request, links below outline the surgery itself and also cost through our clinic. There is a contact page if you have further questions. pediatricfootankle.com/surgeries/achilles-tendon-lengthening-surgery/ pediatricfootankle.com/self-pay-rates/
A consult with a pediatric podiatrist would be helpful to find the source of your daughter's pain. In our clinic, if the heel pain is Sever's, we utilize a custom orthotic called the Mikki Device. Link noted below for your review. Thanks for watching our video. mikkidevice.com/
Over the counter treatments for plantar warts is usually ineffective, same goes for corns. If condition persists, best practice would be to see a podiatrist. Thanks for watching our video.
I have a 13 year old toe walker. We just met w a surgeon regarding possibly getting this and he stated that she would need to wear AFO braces 23 hours a day for about 6 months after the surgery. Is this normal?
Thank you for watching our video. Every surgeon has their own protocols. In my practice, for the last ten years, my patients who receive this surgery are casted for 4 weeks, then in a boot for 2 weeks. Recovery is approximately 6 weeks per surgery. The second surgery is performed 10 weeks after the first one. I have never found AFO's needed after this surgery; the surgery is the correction. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact our clinic. Link provided below. pediatricfootankle.com/
I've been walking on my toes since 23 yrs and I have autism. It doesn't bother me when walking. Idk how to Walk flat I think it might be short Achilles. I can't walk flat on my feet so should I seek help on that?
Thank you for watching our video. If you would like to explore treatment for your toe walking, yes, a consult with a podiatrist would be a start. Not knowing where you reside, the link below may be helpful in finding a qualified provider. www.apma.org/
I've toe-walked my whole life and never even knew it was 'a thing.' I can walk just fine on flat feet. Fast run is on the pad, stable run is on flat feet. Strength is on flat feet, nimble on the pad. I work out and stretch every day, never had ankle. heel or sole issues. It feels light and bouncy to toe-walk. Pleasant. I'll get checked just to be sure it's all good, but I like my toe-walking on occasion as an adult.
When I was as 7 I started toe walking I don’t know why. After OT and PT at age 11 I had to get surgery on both my legs. Parents please pay attention to toe walking so you don’t have to go through what I did.
In our experience, we have not observed resolution in that way. There are several types of treatment for the virus. An examine of the area by a qualified podiatrist, who can then provide the correct plan of care would make sense. If you need assistance in finding one, the link below may be helpful. www.apma.org/ Thank you for watching our video.
I feel so sad for my 11 years okd chikd who suffer with a lot of pain due his intoeing flat feet that cause him a lot of pain just to walk for 15 minutes. Plus due that he suffer to works out , he is not excersiing to lower his LDL and also presenting liwwr back pain( Corveture)z. He is using orthotic insole prescribed by the Podiatry specilalust but its not hping dince he is always in pain ... I do not what else to do to solve this.
Thank you for sharing your experience. If your child's provider has no further solution, you may want to consider a second opinion. In our practice, for children with flat feet, the doctor prescribes Andy Device orthotics. The link below may help you find a new provider where you live www.apma.org/ Please feel free to contact our clinic directly with any questions. Thank you for watching our video. pediatricfootankle.com/contact-directions/
I'm a 17 year old boy and I walk on my toes. It's not as extreme as in the video. I think it might be the cause of my limp. Could achilles tendon stretches make it go away? I understand that I should probably consult a doctor, but is there a chance that that could fix it on its own?
Thank you for watching our video. Passive stretching of the achilles tendon, with a nightbrace, over a period of 6-12 months is effective when a child is very young. If the condition is chronic and untreated, some young adults will have tight ankles and contractures can develop. Muscle imbalances could mean decreased hip or core strength due to the different postural alignment. And yes, for a toe walker at 17, a consult with a podiatrist would make sense. The link below may be helpful to your parents in finding one where you live. www.apma.org/ If you or your parents have any questions, please feel free to contact our office directly. Link noted below pediatricfootankle.com/contact-directions/
I have walked like that all my life with no pain or health problems, just a lot of bullying. But I was still the fastest, even against the boys. XD So unless it is actually hurting them in some way or will in the future, I really don’t think parents should do anything to their kid for it, especially not surgery. As many many of these comments show how it haven’t had a negative effect on them at all. I am really happy to know other people do this too. ❤❤
Sorry to hear you were subject to the bullying. Often a parents choice of surgical correction for their child is made after a failure of conservative care. There are various reasons why treatment is sought out. The age of the child, their activity level, quality of life, plus the other muscles, joints affected by an abnormal gait as they age up. Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching our video.
Im 16 walking in toes for abaut 10 years maybe hade a year break but now at 16 i feel my knees hurting all the time specialy when i stand up fast and its really anoying since i do alot of highly atlethic Sports like wrestling and boxing and recantly i injured my pereneral tendon really badly do you think the toe walking has made me more vunreble to tearing difrent muscles and tendons and effect my knees and will it become better if i stop toe walking
Thank you for watching our video. Toe walking for almost ten years will cause stress to the muscles and tendons in the foot and ankle. You may want to consider discussing with your parents, a workup by a specialist. A specialist would be able to make recommendations to address your concerns. The link below may be helpful in finding someone in your area. www.apma.org/
Heyy I'm almost 18 now and I have it, is there a way to self correct it by imposing forced way of walking correctly? Will that train my brain to stop walking that like?
Thank you for watching our video. It sounds likely this is a structural issue. Conservative measures are unlikely to correct the condition. Seeing a specialist who could recommend a viable care plan would benefit you in the knowledge of the condition and what is possible. The link below may be helpful in finding a qualified specialist. www.apma.org/
