Once you are exposed, it is hard to not notice, Toe walking in both kids and adults. I first noticed it in a friend from chiropractic school. They don't let their heels touch the ground when they walk. So I asked why. They shared that they had this since they developed and states it is one of the reasons he entered into chiropractic because it is tied to neurological developmental issues. 

Toe walking occurs when a child walks on their toes or the balls of their feet so that their heels are not contacting the ground. With toe walking, there are certain links to other conditions, which includes autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.  With so many possible causes and contributing factors it is important to know what specifically is causing the problem. What we do know with all of the possible links to toe walking, is that it is a nervous system involved in the problem. 

Research is showing, over 40% of the toe walkers also have developmental delays. In all cases we see that the child is compensating for sensory information that is not being processed correctly by the brain. Children with ADHD may walk on their toes because they feel like they need more sensory input, whereas, children with autism may walk on their toes in order to decrease the sensory information from the bottom of their feet. Other causes of toe walking can be due to poor posture, balance or poor eyesight.

Toe walking can be a sign of underlying lack of function in the nervous system meaning that the information in the nervous system is either not getting to or from the brain as it should be. 

As chiropractors, we get to assist patients who toe walking with the function of their nervous system. When balancing the nervous system, our current patients show an increase in planting their feet flatter with walking and standing. 

So why use chiropractic? Chiropractic adjustments can help restore the connection between the brain and the rest of the body allowing the brain to properly receive and integrate the information that will allow the brain and body to heal and develop correctly. It should be noted that rewiring the nervous system at this level will take time and an intense care schedule.

 If the problem is postural or due to a muscle imbalance, chiropractic care can help get the spine and joints aligned to improve posture as well as balance. 

Lastly, Chiropractic care can help the body relax and heal instead of remaining stuck in stress mode.  This quiets the overactive brain decreasing the sensory input.

If you are interested in learning more about how chiropractic can help the neurological development of children through natural and gentle adjusting to balance the nervous system, you are always welcome to reach out to us, in Dover, Delaware. 

References:

Pomarino D, Ramírez Llamas J, Martin S, Pomarino A. Literature Review of Idiopathic Toe Walking: Etiology, Prevalence, Classification, and Treatment. Foot Ankle Spec. 2017 Aug;10(4):337-342. doi: 10.1177/1938640016687370. Epub 2017 Jan 16. PMID: 28092971.

Live session from Dr Monica Burger: https://www.facebook.com/ChiroSecure/videos/385207459370532

Ruzbarsky JJ, Scher D, Dodwell E. Toe walking: causes, epidemiology, assessment, and treatment. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2016 Feb;28(1):40-6. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000000302. PMID: 26709689.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29571089/