24 Nov 😳 Have you noticed that your child is pulling to stand on their tip toes 🦶 😔 Are you worried about the damage to your child’s foot bones because of their constant tip toes walking
A baby’s foot starts with a relatively simple structure that will gradually develop into a more complex arrangement of bones. At birth, a baby’s foot has more cartilage than bone, and over time, as the child grows and develops, the cartilage undergoes ossification, transforming into bone. The number of bones in a baby’s foot is the same as in an adult foot; however, some of the bones are not fully formed at birth. A human foot typically has 26 bones,
Occasional toe walking is common in typically developing infants as they explore different movement patterns.🦶Prolonged and persistent toe walking, if left untreated, can potentially lead to changes in the structure and alignment of the bones in the foot, including the metatarsals and tarsal bones.
The metatarsals are the long bones in the midfoot that connect to the toes. Prolonged toe walking can alter the distribution of pressure and forces on the metatarsal heads that form the ball of the foot. Changes in pressure distribution may contribute to calluses, pain, or even deformities in the metatarsal region over time.😳 The tarsal bones are the smaller bones in the midfoot. Persistent toe walking can lead to adaptations in the alignment of these bones, resulting in changes in the bone shapes.🦶Ultimately affecting the alignment of the midfoot joints and ankle joint. Once a foot bone shape changes, it cannot be reshaped again. Prolonged toe walking often results in tightness of the Achilles tendon and calf muscles. This tightness can affect the normal range of motion in the ankle joint and contribute to changes in foot biomechanics. This will then affect the way a child walks, their balance and coordination.
Hence it is important to correct persistent toe walking in babies and children. If your child is toe walking, ring My Favourite Physio 📱on (02) 9790 4233 or DM us @myfavouritephysio to speak to one of our expert Paediatric Physiotherapists today!!
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