Out Toe / Duck Foot

Out Toe / duck foot

This is known as external tibial torsion. This is when the shin bone is twisted outwards and you walk like a duck. This time the body compensates by the groin muscles trying to twist the leg inwards as these muscles are internal rotators of the hip. Once again if the child gets tired the groin muscles are not as effective in correcting the duck feet, and the child reverts back to an out toe gait which can result in the child clipping their heels together while walking or running and tripping over.

Clumsy Gait: This can be due to a number of reasons. The main causes are:

  

(1) Intoe and out toe – when the body becomes tired usually at the end of the day or after sport, the muscle’s effectiveness in compensating for the intoe /out toe becomes reduced. This can result in the child tripping over or appearing to be clumsy when walking.

  

(2) Excess pronation – this unlocks the joints in the foot resulting in instability.

  

(3) Knock knees – The child will try to compensate by swinging the knee out and round to avoid the knees knocking together.

  

All of the conditions above are hereditary but can be helped and fixed with orthotic therapy, stretching and strengthening the muscles and the wearing of correct footwear.