title: Habitual toe-walking: evaluation and approach to treatment.
abstract: Habitual toe-walking has been presented as a prolongation of a normal stage of development that requires conservative treatment to prevent or ameliorate associated gait abnormalities such as tripping and falling. An approach to the evaluation of a child with toe-walking should include (1) medical history (prenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal), (2) gait evaluation, (3) musculoskeletal examination, and (4) neurologic examination. Pathologic entities producing toe-walking have been explored in order to differentiate those conditions from idiopathic (habitual) toe-walking. The most common etiologies of toe-walking (nonhabitual) would include gastrosoleus equinus, clubfoot, or cerebral palsy. Treatment of habitual toe-walkers might include shoe therapy, orthosis therapy, auditory feedback, and surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Podopediatrics, New York College of Podiatric Medicine, New York.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Caselli
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Rzonca
authors.forename: B Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Lue
mesh_terms: D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D005528:Foot / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005532:Foot Deformities, Congenital / Q000150:complications; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D012775:Shoes