My child walks funny | Physical Therapy Center In Peoria AZ

1. My child walks “funny” I have been approached many times, as a physical therapist, by parents who are concerned with the way their children are walking especially from the ages of 1-5. The concerns vary from; one or both feet turning in, feet turning out, walking on toes, knees coming in, legs looking bowed, flat feet, legs kicking out while running, frequent falling and more. Some of these variations can be normal depending on the child’s stage in development. When children first learn to walk, they typically have a wide base of support and the legs can look bowed out. This is normal until the child becomes more stable and the bones of the lower

2. extremities begin to develop through bearing weight. After this stage, toddlers will often walk with their knees inward and with feet pointed inward slightly. This is also normal from the ages of 2-5 but should be assessed of the feet turning in seems excessive. This is also the age where you may see kids walking on their tip toes. While this can be normal during this age, if the child is up on their toes more than 75% of the time while in standing, they should be assessed by a physical therapist to determine if intervention is needed. The earlier you begin intervention the greater success you will have. By the age of 6-7, the child should be walking with a more typical gait with good alignment at the knees and feet. This is also the age where the arches of the feet should be developed. Visit Here