Watching your child take their first steps is a special moment — and an important milestone in your child’s development. While those initial, hesitant steps are bound to be shaky, most kids eventually “grow” into walking, with their gait pattern becoming more or less established around age six years.
Until that time, it’s not unusual for a child to exhibit different gait patterns temporarily as they grow and become more confident and active. But sometimes, those patterns become permanent, even interfering with your child’s growth and mobility.
Learning to recognize some of the more common gait problems that appear in children can play a crucial role in ensuring those issues are addressed early. In this post, the team at Mid-Jersey Orthopaedics offers a brief overview of five of those patterns and how pediatric orthopaedics can help correct them.
Also referred to as “pigeon-toe,” in-toeing occurs when a child turns the toes of their feet inward when walking (rather than keeping their feet straight). In-toeing makes it significantly harder to run or walk rapidly, interfering with play and increasing the risk of tripping as well.
Many kids “in-toe” when they’re very young, and in these instances, the problem usually clears up as your child’s gait develops. However, in-toeing can occur when the leg bones are turned or twisted inward, or when the feet have an abnormal shape.
While temporary in-toeing typically requires no treatment, in-toeing that persists as your child grows can usually be corrected with physical therapy, orthopaedic shoes or shoe inserts, braces, or other interventions aimed at improving your child’s coordination, balance, and strength.
While in-toeing occurs when a child’s feet turn inward, out-toeing happens when a child turns the toe part of the foot outward when walking. Like in-toeing, out-toeing can occur as part of a child’s development and typically resolves on its own as the child’s coordination improves.
Persistent out-toeing may be attributed to an outward turning of the hips, knees, or ankles. Some children develop out-toeing as a result of their positioning in the uterus, while others may “out-toe” due to a neurological condition, muscular issue, or flat feet.
Sometimes, out-toeing is related to muscle weakness, and exercise and physical therapy can help. Other times, custom orthotics correct out-toeing.
If your child’s feet tend to roll inward as they walk, they may have flat feet. Normally, kids develop supportive, curved arches as they develop. These arches help distribute weight while providing support, balance, and flexibility as we walk and run.
In some children, however, arches never form, and flat feet persist, causing a distinctive rolling gait and sometimes other symptoms, such as foot pain or problems with running or other physical activities. Flat feet may also be associated with certain neurological disorders.
If flat feet don’t cause any noticeable symptoms, treatment may not be needed. But if your child has foot pain, a “rolling” gait, or problems during play or sports, treatment plays an important role in correcting these issues. Once again, physical therapy and custom orthotics often take center stage. Rarely, surgery may be necessary to rebuild the arch.
Most of us associate limping with acute injuries, like broken bones, sprains, or strained muscles. But limps happen for other reasons, too.
If a child has a limp or favors one leg over the other, it could be due to discomfort or other reasons, such as weakness that makes certain movements uncomfortable or problems with balance. A limp isn’t always obvious and exaggerated — it can be subtle and difficult to detect without close observation.
Treatment depends on the underlying cause. If a limp is due to an injury, treating that injury is the usual solution. However, children with muscle weaknesses or neuromuscular disorders often require additional therapies. A thorough evaluation is the best way to ensure your child receives the most appropriate care.
Although many gait issues resolve on their own as a child grows and develops, it’s always a good idea to have any issue evaluated. Early evaluation can identify problems that could lead to persistent gait abnormalities, which in turn can result in long-term issues with mobility and social activities.
Our team offers comprehensive gait evaluations for children of all ages, diagnosing any underlying issues that may be contributing to their condition. Then, we develop a treatment plan based specifically on your child’s needs for long-term correction and improved health and quality of life.
If your child has a gait issue, we can help. To learn more, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Mid-Jersey Orthopaedics today.
