When your child's walk catches your eye

What follows combines several patients' visits into one composite story. It is not about any one child, and anything that could identify someone has been removed.

How do children usually come to us?

Parents tell us their child's toes point outward or turn inward when walking. Many come in after watching their child walk from behind and feeling uneasy about it.

Other things often come up along with it: the child doesn't like walking for long, slouches, and doesn't eat well. Often these aren't separate issues but part of one thread.

What does walking have to do with growing?

When the foot's base collapses, body weight isn't spread evenly. Then the knees, pelvis, and even the back take on a share of the strain, one after another.

If the hollow on the inner side of the sole has collapsed, strain travels upward with every step. When the body spends energy coping with that, there's that much less left for growing.

The hollow of the sole is called the arch.

On top of that, a child who tires easily and is often in pain has a harder time eating well and sleeping well. That's why we see the way a child walks as one of the conditions for growth.

What do we look at?

We have the child stand barefoot and look from behind. We check how high the arches are, whether the knees turn inward, and whether weight is evenly balanced between left and right.

We have the child walk. Some things look fine while standing but show up during walking.

We look at the shoes too. Which part of the sole wore down first tells us something.

How do we treat it?

First, we sort out what can change and what can't. If it comes from the shape of the bones themselves, posture correction alone won't fix it.

If it's something that can change, we use custom insoles that support the arch. When support is added where the foot had collapsed, the way weight is spread during walking changes.

Along with this, we loosen tight calves and hamstrings and do exercises to build strength in the hips and core. Support alone doesn't last; the muscles have to hold things in place for the change to stay.

How did things go?

First, the spot where weight lands during walking changes. Next, the child is less reluctant to walk for long.

Dramatic, visible changes are rare. This is about easing strain while the child grows, so we watch it over time.

What are the limits of this approach?

We don't tell you how much taller your child will grow with this treatment. Working on how a child walks is about easing the strain that growing puts on the body.

If one side is unusually different, if your child is in pain or limping, or if their walk suddenly changes, see an orthopedic doctor first.

To parents with the same worry

1. The way a child walks, their posture, and not eating are often part of one thread.
2. When the arch collapses, the knees, pelvis, and back take on the strain in turn.
3. First, we sort out whether it can change or not.
4. Support alone doesn't last — the muscles have to hold it.
5. If one side is different, or your child is in pain or limping, see an orthopedic doctor first.

We start by checking where your child is right now. We won't rush you; we'll tell you, based on evidence, whether it's fine to wait or not.

If you're not sure whether to wait or to act now, come see us once. We'll check where your child is right now, and we won't rush you.

Every child grows at a different pace, so the same treatment can lead to different courses.