Tiptoe walking, still, at 6yr old!

[OnlyAFoolsChance]

Hi all, just after a bit of general advice really.

My daughter has always tip toed, ever since she could start walking, but its important to add she CAN and WILL walk flat footed if she has to, like in school shoes for example.
But she pretty much most of the time walks on her tiptoes, sometimes in her shoes too.

I've noticed when shes doing this her calf muscles seem quite strong and firm, not sure if relevant or not.

For years I've heard conflicting advice about how certain muscles/ligaments in her legs might be a bit short, how its associated with certain conditions (one parent of a kid with dyspraxia said its a characteristic of the condition?), and how she will just "grow out of it" by 2, then 3, then 5.

I've never asked the GP about it as I know when she has to she can walk flat footed.
But I've just asked her now again, why do you walk on tiptoes all the time? And she replied that her knees hurt when she walks too much NOT on tiptoes.

I don't really know WHAT I'm asking, I guess just if anybody has any experience of this.

Walking tiptoed can be a sign of dyspraxia. I think the best thing you can do is talk to your gp who can investigate this a bit further as it is obviously bothering you.

Thank you for replying Muskey.

I guess it does bother me, as she just seems more comfortable walking tiptoed.

I liked to walk tiptoe, too. I don't have dyspraxia. Although I am not the most coordinated either. Got over it.

I would see the GP and ask for a referral to a paediatric specialist.

I would go to your GP, for reassurance/referral if required.

We're her feet messed with a lot when she was born? (nicu etc?) my hv warned me my daughter might be a toe walker because of this but she isn't. Just thought I'd say.

I tiptoed as soon as I learned to walk, I still do but it doesn't seem to be linked to anything in particular .. I still do it, it just feels more comfortable! Hasn't caused me any problems with walking, shoes or sports

Definitely see your gp. I always walked on tip toes and it was because/made worse short muscleson my calves. Eventually threw my hips and back out of alignment and I had to wear built up orthotic insoles in my shoes. Not what I wanted at 15! Best to check and get sorted sooner if needed.

Sorry for all the errors! Phone is balanced on my knee while I feed dd!

Do her feet turn outwards when she walks flat? Absolutely push for a referral, and get them to check her arches, she might need insoles.

I have always tiptoed, still do. I've got flat arches and it basically pulls funny on my legs. I can walk flat but it's bloody painful!

I could walk in my shoes at primary but i tiptoed in them, and took them off. When I got to secondary and that wasn't an option, walking flat damaged my knees and I was on crutches for almost a year. it was caught too late (12) to 'fix' with insoles still had to wear the bloody insoles though nod to jobrum at the pain of 'sensible shoes which fit your insoles' at 15.

Now, walking flat really hurts, both because of the arches, and because I've never stretched the muscles/tendons in my legs.

We're going through this with my son. He is 3 and nursery pointed it out to me one day and said best take him to the gp. I was just so used to the way he walked, I didn't see it. I thought the gp would just tell me he'd grow out of it but she didn't. She referred him to the ortho surgeons. We've just had our appointment.

He was seen by a specialist physio and she did some tests of his legs and sent us for an x Ray. She then explained that he is very bendy and that for kids like that, they find it more comfortable to walk on tip toes because it gives them a bit of bounce. She has given us stretches to do and we need to encourage him to walk "properly".

She said in 3-6 months he will need to go into a cast on both legs at the same time for 3 weeks. They change the cast each week and change the angle. He will be able to walk etc.

My son can walk properly when prompted but obviously doesn't find it comfortable because he's so bendy!
Sorry this has been so long!!

My DS is a tip toer, and he gets awful pains in his legs - about 4 times a week, howling in pain for the last 5 years (since he was 3). We're getting physio at the moment, and it is really helping.

I can't believe it has gone on for as long as it did - we've had countless visits to the GP and eventually went privately to a paediatric ortho guy.

I'd definitely get it checked out, the sooner the better. We also got orthotics, which helped a bit, but the physio is the thing that has made the biggest difference.

Thank you so much for the replies, I'm really grateful. In answer to some questions,

She was born by c-section, 2 weeks early ( planned due to previous complications with my son), never had to stay in NICU.

Her feet don't turn outwards, however, I've noticed her gait is quite flat as opposed to an arch, but I have quite a low arch too so hadn't paid much attention to that.

dontaskdonttell - thats really interesting. I've been wary of the GP as I felt I would be shooed back out the door with a "dont waste my time". Good to hear they took you seriously.

Beryl - she's never made any noises about it being sore until I asked WHY she tiptoes all the time. And I guess I've dismissed it for so long as she can walk from A to B no problem and is very much on the go constant.

I'll definitely speak to the GP, it can't hurt. I suppose I just hoped I wasn't the only one and it seems its more common than I thought.