W-Sitting, Toe Walking & In-Toeing

As children grow and learn to move, their posture and walking patterns don’t always look the way we expect. You may notice your child sitting in a “W,” walking with their toes turned inward or spending time walking on their tiptoes. While these can catch a parent’s attention, they don’t necessarily mean something is wrong.

W-Sitting

W-sitting is when a child sits on their bottom with their knees bent and their feet positioned outside their hips, forming a “W” with their legs. For many children, this is simply a comfortable and stable way to sit.
Rather than constantly correcting W-sitting, encourage your child to use a variety of positions during play, such as sitting cross-legged, with their legs straight in front or side-sitting. If your child almost exclusively W-sits or has difficulty comfortably sitting in other positions, it may be worth mentioning to their healthcare provider.

In-Toeing

In-toeing describes walking with one or both feet turned inward. It can come from the foot, lower leg or hip and is quite common during childhood.
In many cases, in-toeing improves naturally as a child grows. Children with increased inward rotation at the hips may also prefer W-sitting, which is why the two are often seen together. If in-toeing is painful, significantly different between sides, worsening or interfering with your child’s ability to walk and play, consider having it assessed.

Toe Walking

It is not unusual to see occasional toe walking when children are learning to walk. However, if your child consistently walks on their toes, cannot comfortably bring their heels to the floor or continues toe walking as they get older, it is worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
Toe walking can occur for several reasons, and sometimes there is no specific underlying cause. Treatment, when needed, depends on the individual child and may include monitoring, therapy, stretching, casting or orthotic treatment.

When Should You Ask for Help?

Children develop at different rates, and there is a wide range of normal when it comes to movement. Consider asking for an assessment if you notice pain, significant asymmetry, stiffness, a sudden change in walking, frequent falls that interfere with daily activities, or concerns about your child’s overall motor development.

Most importantly, you don’t need to diagnose your child yourself. If something about the way they sit, stand or walk has you wondering, bring it up with their healthcare provider. Often, reassurance and a little time are all that’s needed. 

 

 

The Custom Orthotics Team (519) 850-4721 | office@customorthoticsoflondon.com | @cool_bracing