In Toeing
Pigeon Toed Gait
Intoeing, also known, as “pigeon toed”, is a condition that causes the toes to point inward when walking. It is most common in infants and children under two years of age and generally corrects itself as the child grows.
Symptoms of Intoeing
- Clumsy and difficulties with sporting activities.
- Tripping and falling over feet.
- Occasionally children with In-Toeingcan have problems in getting shoes that fit, because of the curve of their feet.
Causes
There are three common causes of In-Toeing:
- Tibial torsion– The shinbone is the most common twisted bone. The twist can be caused by the way the baby lay in the womb while the bones were still soft. The bone slowly untwists as the child grows. And the twist is usually gone by the time they reach school age.
- Femoral anteversion– The thigh bone can also be twisted inwards. This usually corrects itself, more slowly, by age nine or ten. In some children this doesn’t correct fully and these are the people who walk pigeon-toed as adults.
- Metartasus adductus– The feet are curved inwards, causing them to walk with a Pigeon-toed gait.
- “W” sitting and abnormal sleeping positions that cause increased internal rotation at the hip and knee joints.
Treatment
Gait Plate Orthotic Therapy
Gait plates in shoes to physically prevent the feet turning in and appropriate footwear.
Stretching Exercises
Stretching both passive and active
- Change sitting and sleeping positions.
- Exercises that encourage external rotation of the legs (e.g. frog jumps, bike riding, penguin walks, ballet).
- Serial casting if severe and or bracing.
What you should do next?
If your child is walks intoed (pigeon toed). Then it is important to get a biomechanical assessment straight away. It is easy to book with us- fill out our online form and we schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
We will discuss with you the best possible solutions for your rolling feet to fix your foot’s positioning straight away – it is important to remember not to delay in sorting the foot problem out soon as it will worsen over time. Make sure to schedule an appointment with us today.
New Patient Gait Assessment
$25 off for new patients
*Claimable on your private health insurance!
