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Children's pigeon toe / in-toe walking

 

                          

Children's feet 
In-toeing in children, is a normal development morphology between 3 and 6 years and is twice as common in females. In-toeing gait or pigeon toes can present due to variation in the rotation of the lower limb causing the toes to point inwards. There are several causes such as the femur, tibia and/or the alignment of the foot. Regardless of the cause the majority will self resolve.

Just checking 
Importantly other presentations need to be ruled out with differential diagnosis including cerebral palsy, infantile Blount's disease, metabolic bone diseases, and skeletal dysplasias thus podiatric assessment is warranted.

Why does it occur?
The most common condition for in toeing in children younger than one year of age is metatarsus adductus. It is seen up to 1% of births, and more frequent in girls compared to boys, and is attributed to intrauterine positioning. A curved inward facing forefoot is seen. Metatarsus adductus is expected to resolve by 2 years of age. Habits and lifestyle which encourage kneeling on the floor, can lead to in toeing at even in older age.

Children's clinic at Health Pod
Children's feet are dynamic and can change one month to the next. At Health Pod although we treat lower limbs, we assess the whole body, the child's physical needs and the parents queries. This is to ensure that if any treatment is required it is suitable for your child. A full medical history is also taken to ensure we have the full picture. We do this through games and activities to ensure your child is engaged during the whole session.

Does in-toeing need to be treated?
With presence of pain, or decreased functionality, or excessive cosmetic malalignment then treatments can be investigated with full understanding of the underlying cause.​ Passive stretching exercises are commonly recommended. With serial casts, corrective splints and Orthotic splints as options. Surgerical intervention for children ≥11 years of age who complain of severe functional or cosmetic deformity with significant position abnormality may be considered.

Get in touch
At Health Pod we run podiatry clinical sessions specific for children, these clinics are aimed to encourage and interact with your child, doing activities they enjoy, so we can assess and treat them.

Health Pod
8 Cowbridge Road
Pontyclun
South Wales
healthpod.wales@gmail.com
+44 (0) 7483 318091

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