It isn’t uncommon for a parent to wonder “Is my child walking funny?” For us to accurately answer this question, you should bring your child in to see one of our podiatrists. In most instances, everything is okay, but it is always better to err on the side of caution. Here are some of the signs you might want to be on the lookout for:.jpg "Child walking")
- Intoeing – This is a fairly common condition where a child’s feet point inward. The causes for this include curved feet and inward twisting of either a shin or thigh bone.
- Out-toeing – Not as common as intoeing, this condition is essentially the opposite (child’s feet point outward).
- Flatfoot – The foot arch plays an integral role in every step, so logic dictates than an abnormal arch height can possibly impact a child’s gait.
- Sever’s disease – This condition develops during adolescence when the heel bone is fully grown before the Achilles tendon. Your son or daughter may alter how he or she walks to avoid pain.
- Toe Walking – Walking more on the toes or ball of the foot. The normal gait is heel to toe. A tight Achilles tendon can cause toe walking.
In certain instances, these issues resolve themselves over time, but you may want to check with us. Give us a call at 407-339-7759 or 352-589-9550 (in Lake County) or request an appointment with any of our five Florida offices by using our online request form.