3 Common Gait Issues in Children 

When your child took their first steps, you were hardly looking at their form — you were just thrilled to see them take to their feet. Now that they’re moving around with more confidence on their own, you notice an issue with how they’re walking.

Gait issues in kids are fairly common and, in many cases, perfectly normal. To shed some more light, the team of podiatric specialists here at Advanced Ankle & Foot, under the direction of husband/wife duo Dr. John Schoppe and Danielle Schoppe, take a deeper dive into three pediatric gait issues in this month’s blog post.

1. Intoeing or pigeon-toed

The most common gait issue we see in kids is called intoeing, or walking pigeon-toed, which describes a way of walking in which the toes point inward.

There are three possible suspects when it comes to this gait issue:

1. Internal tibial inversion — the shinbone is angled inward
2. Metatarsus adductus — the toes point inward because the foot is C-shaped
3. Femoral anteversion — the thigh bone rotates inward

These issues typically develop between the ages of 1 and 6, and girls are more prone to intoeing than boys.

In many cases, the intoeing does correct itself as your child grows, so patience is key. We can also provide you with some great exercises that can help correct the gait issue more quickly. If the issue shows no signs of improving, we may have to get more aggressive with casting or surgery, but this isn't often the case.

2. Out-toeing or duck-footed

On the opposite end of the spectrum is out-toeing, which is when your child’s feet point out when they walk, giving them a sort of waddle (hence the duck reference).

Like intoeing, this gait issue often arises because of torsional issues in the leg bones — either the femur or tibia. As well, if your child has flatfoot, this can lead to out-toeing.

In most cases, kids outgrow out-toeing between the ages of 6 and 8, and we’re happy to provide you with some great exercises and orthotics to speed this along.

However, if the gait issue doesn’t improve or your child is in discomfort, we may recommend physical therapy or even surgery if there's a bone deformity.

3. Toe walking

You notice that your child’s early steps are only on their toes, which is perfectly normal. Many kids start out walking around on their toes, not letting their heels hit the floor, and most of these infants quickly outgrow the habit.

If your child continues to toe walk, there are a few steps that we can take to encourage a better gait, such as:

• Physical therapy
• Calf muscle stretches
• Casting or bracing
• Tendon lengthening

We rarely turn to these interventional techniques as most infants quickly move past toe walking.

Like you, our goal is to help your child walk easily and properly now and in the future. If you spot a gait issue, we recommend coming to see us. To get started, simply contact our office in Columbus, Georgia, to schedule a consultation.