Tiptoe as an adult

Some take their first steps before they are one year old, while others worry about their mother and take their time learning to walk. Each child has its own pace and development, and it is the responsibility of the responsible parent to understand the child as best as possible and to provide him with the best possible environment for his development. What are the normal stages of skill development? How do you help your child learn to walk? What activities should be avoided? The child development experts at the Constellation network of Montessori centers have compiled answers to the most important questions.

Walking on tiptoes. Osteopath in St.

The phenomenon of 'tiptoe walking' can certainly have physiological causes. For example, when a child learns a new way of getting around. But it can also be an expression of internal psychological problems related to family problems.

Walking on tiptoes can be caused by reflex disorders of the muscles of the posterior surface of the lower limbs. This is the most common cause. It is the problem that osteopaths most often encounter in their work. Such a child should also be examined by an orthopedist to rule out connective tissue abnormalities that may lead to this problem.

Functional reflex disorders can have various causes:

Other uncorrected causes of toe walking can lead to complications such as: Poor posture, scoliosisscoliosis, flat feet and pain in the feet, Hyperactivity, Learning difficulties Learning difficulties, etc. Therefore, this problem should not be underestimated and we recommend contacting the specialists at our medical center.

Who can I contact if my child walks on their toes?

The most common (and correct) recommendation is to see a neurologist and an orthopedist. Each specialist will examine the child for abnormalities that match his profile and recommend the necessary treatment. We also recommend a consultation with an osteopath. Dysfunction associated with the consequences of childbirth and dysfunction of the body are a common cause of toe walking in children. Therefore, a consultation with a neurologist and an orthopedist in our clinic will provide a complete picture of the causes of toe walking and the best plan to correct the problem.

Osteopathic treatment is aimed at correcting the abnormalities that lead to increased reflex sensitivity of the muscles of the posterior tibial surface and toe walking in children. Treatment includes working with the child's entire body, harmonizing the nervous system and eliminating dysfunctions at various levels:

Neck and head area. Treatment addresses the effects of birth trauma, compression of the skull bones, and elimination of excessive tension in the suboccipital region and neck area.

Torso area. Elimination of the dysfunction of the paravertebral joints normalizes the tone of the paravertebral muscles, improves the posture and coordination of the child, allowing him to walk more confidently and lean on his feet.

Foot area. Correcting foot dysfunction and restoring the range of motion of the joints of the lower limbs improves the proprioceptive apparatus and normalizes muscle tension in the lower limbs.

Method for completely restoring gait

There is a method that allows complete restoration of a child's foot muscle movement - the Nikonov method. It was developed by me, a doctor and myologist, and has been used successfully for 30 years. By using the Nikonov method with fixation of the problem muscles, the swelling of the foot muscles is eliminated. As a result, they begin to stretch easily and painlessly. The child begins to walk on one full foot.

For detailed disclosure I have to write the opinions of pediatricians, pediatric neurologists and orthopedists, but with my comments.

Pediatricians and child neurologists believe that toe walking is the cause:

One of the defects is infantile spina bifida, in which the vertebrae do not completely enclose the raw nerves. A number of problems are associated with damage to the cervical vertebra. Such a child has learning difficulties, suffers from poor memory and has difficulty concentrating on a subject. It is this crevice that causes one to have to walk on tiptoes.

My opinionThe only thing that affects a child's gait are their muscles. If the muscles are stretched normally regardless of the spinal injury, the child will walk properly. The cleft was already present in the womb and the child's body 'strengthened' the muscles by swelling in order to be born alive. The swelling of the muscles prevents the baby's spinal bones from moving. Otherwise, the spinal bones would have separated during birth.

When performing muscle exposure using the Nikonov method with children walking on toes, I found that the diagnoses made by neurologists do not affect the process of muscle recovery.

The tension and relaxation of various muscles is necessary to maintain a certain body position.

Neurologists and orthopedists assume that the central nervous system controls the strength of tension and relaxation. The muscles respond to signals that come from the brain in the form of nerve impulses. When a muscle is very tense, the muscle becomes hypertonic, which can be recognized from a neurological point of view by the following symptoms:

1. The child assumes a bent position during all movements.
2. The arms are bent and bent at the torso or extended and rotated into the forearms with the palms facing down.
3. During passive movements, increased resistance is felt when stretching and bending the limbs.

Going through the key phases of skill development

Before your child can run quickly around the house, he or she must learn many other skills that prepare him or her for running independently. Typically, you will notice that when your child takes his first steps, he confidently rolls onto his side and sits up, crawls, stands and takes steps with the support of an adult, or leans against something, picks himself up from the floor and leans on himself Furniture leans. All these actions indicate normal physical development of the child, which means that he will begin to walk very soon.

We offer you a table with your child's most important progress in relation to walking, which you should definitely pay attention to. Remember that all babies develop differently, so some milestones (such as crawling on all fours or walking on arms and legs) will simply be missed. However, if you notice a large discrepancy with our table, it is worth talking to your pediatrician about it.

Crawling is a very important phase in a child's development as it is the first opportunity to move independently. Crawling technique changes over time: babies begin crawling on their stomachs at around 5 months and then develop into 4 different bases.

Get up and climb on furniture

At this age, babies typically learn to lean on a bed or coffee table (something sturdy enough to support most of their weight). It is completely normal for your baby to not be able to walk hand-held yet, as this task requires much more coordination.

Turning around to reach for an object behind you

Turning 180 degrees from a sitting position and especially from a standing position is not an easy task that requires a lot of coordination.

Don't be alarmed if you notice your baby moving backwards on his arms and legs. This is a completely normal development phase. Not all infants use this form of locomotion, and those that do progress to walking quite quickly.

How do you teach a baby to walk?

Many parents ask themselves this question, so child development specialists already have some answers and recommendations.

Is it worth buying a baby walker?

Regardless of what baby product manufacturers claim, child development researchers have found no evidence of the effectiveness of walkers. On the contrary, using a tight-fitting walker interferes with the baby's muscle training and the toddler learns to move on his toes.

Instead of a walker, which is not recommended, you can get your baby a walking aid: a toy stroller or an appropriately sized car to help him keep his balance.

Exercises to support the mother

There are many games and exercises that can help your baby learn to walk. Here are just some of them:

• Place a chair, table and other furniture close together to create a dedicated 'path' for your child. It is much easier to move on your legs when supported by objects.
• Sit opposite the standing child so that there is literally half a meter between the two. Extend your arms and call to the child, and he will surely take a step towards you.
• Take off your shoes. Shoes are often a hindrance for babies just learning to walk (imagine having to go pee with gloves on). If your child can walk barefoot, they will be able to coordinate their body more quickly and learn to run confidently.
• Give your child freedom, but provide a safe space. No child learns to walk without falling. Therefore, instead of preventing falls, it is better to set up the child's room so that they do not fall. Remove sharp edges from furniture (some parents buy special pads or simply cover them with foam), make sure that the child cannot reach dangerous props (unstable and fragile objects such as a hanging tablecloth or a glass vase on the floor), and place pillows or blankets on the floor.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. Tiptoe walking for a child with autism

Neurodevelopmental pediatrician Christine Saul and physical therapist Ian McElroy from the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders at the University of Missouri, USA, answer this question.

In our clinic, we often observe toe or heel walking in children diagnosed with autism. As in your case, parents and other family members are often the first to notice this unusual gait and are very concerned about it.

Even with typical development, many toddlers go through a short phase of toe-walking, which is interrupted by a more typical running style. However, toe walking, which continues after the 'learning to walk' phase, is much more common in children with autism than in the general population.

If frequent and habitual toe walking persists for more than six months, a pediatrician and pediatric physical therapist should be consulted.

Causes of toe walking

The causes of toe walking depend on the individual child. Therefore, a thorough examination of the child's gait, posture, motor skills and general physical examination is important.

This examination is usually carried out by a pediatric physiotherapist. Of course, ideally this professional should have experience working with children with autism.

Common causes of toe walking include:

– Sensory problems. This may include discomfort or anxiety in response to soleus sensations from certain surfaces.

– Excessively tight calf muscles and short Achilles tendons. Muscle tension and/or tendons that are too short prevent the heel from touching the ground. Therefore, the child does not walk on the whole foot, but only on the toes. Excessive calf muscle tension is common in autism. Sometimes this muscle tension is related to cerebral palsy, another disorder that is often combined with autism.

If it's normal

Studies have shown that children as young as five years old can walk on their toes for no reason without any impact on their condition. In young children, this is due to an immature nervous system and lack of muscle development. As they get older, idiopathic walking goes away on its own without treatment.

Doctors say that there is nothing to worry about if a child occasionally walks on tiptoes in the following cases:

• Her motor skills are appropriate for her age;
• There is no developmental delay;
• He or she occasionally walks on toes and places his or her feet correctly;
• There are no coordination problems;
• Both feet walk on toes.

Sometimes toe walking is hereditary if one parent walked on their toes as a child.

It can also be caused by premature birth.

What to do if your child walks on their toes?

If toe walking occurs frequently, the child should be taken to the doctor. An initial assessment should be made by a pediatrician, followed by a neurologist and an orthopedist.

A comprehensive treatment includes special therapeutic physical exercises and foot massages. A simple exercise – squatting on a small chair – can help. The child cannot stand on tiptoes, but has to stand up with the whole foot.

Massage helps improve blood flow to the calf muscles, their nutrition and growth.

A course of 10 sessions with a short break is effective. Parents can learn this skill themselves with the help of a specialist.

In neurological diseases, drugs are administered to inhibit the pathological impulses and reduce the number of contractions.

Different forms of muscle hypertonicity can be treated with physiotherapy:

Neurologists and orthopedists recommend that these young children always wear shoes. In mild cases, it can involve any shoes with a stiff heel cap and an orthopedic insole. If the illness is severe, orthopedic splints or special joint orthoses are used. In the case of a shortened Achilles tendon, surgical correction is required. The length of the ligament is increased through surgery.

Walking on tiptoes is one of the symptoms to look out for in a child. If corrected in a timely manner, it is easy to treat and has minimal consequences. If left untreated, it can cause awkward gait, bowing of the legs and the development of flat feet.

Why does my child tiptoe? reasons

Small children under 3 years old are just learning to walk. They try to walk in different ways, including on tiptoes. Sometimes a child walks on tiptoes because the muscle tone in the legs is uneven when walking (dystonia).

Other causes of tiptoe walking:

• Frequent use of a stroller. In the stroller, the child learns to take the first steps on tiptoe and it can be difficult to learn to transfer the foot;
• High activity level. When there is excess energy, infants can walk on their toes;
• Thirst for knowledge, curiosity and the desire to grow faster;
• Imitation of mother in high heels, ballerinas;
• CEREBRAL PALSY. But there are other symptoms of this condition too;
• birth trauma affecting the child's brain (usually detected and treated long before the first steps are taken);
• malfunction of the part of the nervous system responsible for moving the body (pyramidal insufficiency);
• psychological problems that can be traced back to family problems. Due to the internal tension, the child unconsciously walks on tiptoes, as if crawling;
• If the child continues to tiptoe at age 4 or older, a neurological condition may be the cause;

Even children older than 3 years old can tiptoe:

Is it possible to teach a child to stop walking on their own?

Yes, this is possible if you do gymnastics with your child every day. Swimming, fitball classes and walking on orthopedic mats also work well.

Parents who are concerned that their child is constantly walking on their toes should see a pediatric neurologist. The specialist will determine whether there are symptoms suggestive of neurological abnormalities and, if necessary, prescribe tests.

If the valgus is accompanied by muscular dystonia, the child needs more exercise - standing, climbing, crawling, duck walking, walking on all fours, on sloping and soft surfaces, barefoot.

Depending on the cause, the neurologist may recommend the following:

• physiotherapy, electrophoresis;
• baths with herbal teas (chamomile, succulent, thyme, lavender);
• remedial gymnastics, swimming;
• paraffin shoes (on medical prescription only);
• proper orthopedic footwear.

Many people recommend massages that can be done at home. During a massage, parents should:

1. 'draw' the 'number eight' on the child's foot with the thumb;
2. caress the child's feet from the tips of the toes to the hips;
3. Rub the calf muscles with your thumb and forefinger;
4. Move the child's feet away from you and then toward you;
5. Roll the child on the fitball so that he steps on it;
6. Shake your child's feet;
7. Massage each toe individually;
8. Tap the child's foot with the back of the toes.

A pediatric neurologist should decide whether gymnastics is necessary. The doctor will assess the child's neurological condition and determine whether this type of walking is pathological or normal. However, physical activity definitely does not harm a healthy child. Don't forget that your child should have comfortable running shoes in the right size.

A baby walks on their tiptoes for a reason:

Infants stand on their toes and can walk on them for a while due to the maturation of the nervous system. This is a physiological process. The tendency to walk on tiptoes begins at 1-1.5 years of age and continues until 3-3.5 years of age. During this time, the body must regulate the inhibition and excitation processes in the corresponding parts of the brain. In the medulla oblongata there is a part through which a continuous stream of impulses with a certain frequency flows through descending (efferent) and ascending (afferent) nerve fibers to the calf muscles. If the frequency becomes lower, the tone of the calf muscles increases and the child stands on tiptoes. We would like to point out that this is the physiological norm; in case of pathology there may be other causes such as: E.g. encephalopathy, developmental disorders, etc.

Parents must closely monitor their child's feet from the time he or she can walk independently. Between the ages of 1 and 8, the bones and ligaments of the lower limbs mature. If something is not corrected before elementary school, it will be almost impossible later.

What should I do if my child stands on their toes?

This phenomenon is possible before and after the 1st year of life. In an infant, the calf muscles should definitely be relaxed. If the toe flexors are also involved (the child also squeezes his toes), the muscles in the sole area are also relaxed. Relaxation is achieved by kneading and stretching the muscles mentioned, alternating stretching and massage. The treatment plan may also include strengthening the anterior shin muscle group. This is done by kneading deeply at a fast pace.

For children older than one year, these treatment elements are maintained, but gymnastic exercises should be added.

(This article was written for the website happybabymassage.ru, copying is prohibited! The author is massage therapist Alexei Vladimirovich Matrosov)

Causes of nervous system disorders

Due to abnormalities in the nervous system, muscle fibers contract and the child gets used to walking on tiptoes.

Pyramidal deficits can be caused by

• Trauma during childbirth
• Congenital lesions of the nervous system (e.g. cerebral palsy)
• Hypoxia
• viral and bacterial infections
• inflammatory processes in the brain or spinal cord
• Tumors
• Disturbances in the production and outflow of cerebrospinal fluid
• Meningitis, encephalitis.

Which doctor should I go to?

Children with pyramidal syndrome are treated by a neurologist, an orthopedist and an osteopath. The treatment of these diseases and neurological disorders is based on a holistic approach in which each specialist uses a different treatment method, which is directly coordinated with the other specialists and has a positive effect on the treatment.

Treatment usually consists of medication combined with physiotherapy, massage and physical therapy. However, this is not enough, since the damage occurs not only in the head and legs, but also at the level of the dura or sacrum.

Therefore, the ideal is to treat the problem comprehensively and in collaboration with an osteopath who will correct these disorders and stimulate the nervous system.

Positive changes will be visible after the second session, and it is best to complete at least five sessions - only then can one speak of the effectiveness of the treatment.

The doctor will also make recommendations for parents to follow.

Comments are not helpful

There is no point in constantly arguing with the child and insisting that he put his feet in the correct position and not walk on his toes. It's not doing it on purpose, and you're only harming your relationship and making your child neurotic. The reality is that you can't control movement while running - just like you can't control posture while sitting.

This is why a child who is repeatedly told: 'Don't hunch back!' will straighten his back for a while and keep it straight on his own, but he cannot sit like that for long - after a while he will round his back again as usual . It's the same with tiptoeing: if you reprimand a child, he may start tiptoeing, but 5 minutes later he'll be tiptoeing again.

This is because the child has a muscular imbalance and simply cannot help it, no matter how much you admonish or reprimand him!

Where does toe walking come from?

Toe walking can have two causes. The first is neurological in nature. If this is the case, a neurologist should be consulted and treatment should be given.

The second cause lies in the premature simulation of walking, in walking aids, jump ropes and other devices and reflex games. All of this disrupts the muscular balance between flexor and extensor muscles.

And that's why when a child like this gets to a standing position, but the muscle balance is already there, he starts to develop walking and running, and that's how toe walking comes about. The muscles in the lower leg are overloaded - they have a special anatomy and can withstand the load well when they are squeezed. They work well when running and jumping. When walking, on the other hand, there is this compensation that develops and worsens over time.

• Causes of tiptoe walking in babies.
• Toe movement in children.
• A person walks on tiptoe.
• Tiptoe walking.
• Tiptoe walking.
• The child walks on its toes.
• Why people tiptoe.
• Why girls tiptoe.