Best Orthotics for Toe Walking – These Shoes and Orthotics Help Prevent Toe Walking!

December 4, 2024 Orthotics/Insoles Juan Valenzuela 17 - Comments

Have you taken your child to your medical professional and were told that your child’s toe walking will eventually stop? I have helped several children who were walking on their toes and are now walking the correct way —heel to toe— and I believe I can help your child too. The best orthotics for toe walking work by addressing the underlying causes of toe walking, which can improve balance, posture, and overall walking patterns.

As a dedicated shoe fitter with years of experience, I understand the concerns that arise when parents notice atypical walking patterns in their children. Please note that early intervention in children who toe walk is key to preventing this condition from getting worse.

Toddler walking on her toes.
An image of a toddler girl who has a tendency of walking on her toes.

Be Proactive and Don’t Assume the Condition Will Magically Disappear

I always recommend parents to be proactive and start treating this condition from an early stage as this highly decreases your child’s necessity for more invasive treatments such as serial casting, Botox injections, or surgery in later childhood. Taking the “wait and see approach” and waiting for the condition to resolve on its own may only lead to the condition getting worse.

Children between the ages of one and five undergo rapid neuromuscular development and toe walking during these years can often be easily managed with proper foot orthotics and correct footwear. Unresolved toe walking after age five or older, although still manageable, can become a bit more difficult to control. 

A child walking on his toes.
An image of an older child standing barefoot on his toes.

The longer the child continues to toe walk may lead to a sustained habitual pattern and ultimately risk of acquired tendon tightness and ankle stiffness.

Is It Normal for Toddlers to Walk On Their Toes?

Keep in mind that is common to see toddlers who are learning how to walk, get on their toes, and in most cases, toe walking reduces and is of no concern. However, I suggest that parents keep a close eye and be proactive if they don’t see this condition improve. Children who toe walk might experience frequent falls or stumbles with ambulation, another reason why parents shouldn’t leave this condition untreated.

Child with stability issues keeps falling due to wearing shoes that are too big.
An image of a toddler having stability issues due to toe walking tendencies.

Toe walking also becomes a problem when the calf muscles begin to shorten, reducing your child’s ankle movement. Toe walking can cause long-term damage to the foot and ankle due to the abnormal forces acting on them.

Keep in mind that pain is not the only reason to treat! Toe walking is not a painful condition, and just because the child doesn’t complain about pain it doesn’t mean it should be left untreated or that the child will outgrow the condition.

My Experience Helping Toe Walking Children

I have helped improve the walking gait of several children who were toe walking by fitting them in the correct types of shoes and orthotics. I want to clarify that I am not a doctor, I am a shoe fitter who has over a decade of experience fitting children in shoes and orthotics.

Child Toe Walking Improves After Wearing Anti Toe Walking Shoes
Before and after image of a child with toe walking tendencies walking barefoot and wearing anti toe walking shoes.

My goal has always been to use the minimal intervention that is effective, that is the reason why I always recommend to start by trying a pair of supportive shoes and orthotics and leaving casting and surgery always as a last resort.

Why Do Kids Walk on Their Toes?

Did you know that most doctors can’t identify the reason why children toe walk? Persistent toe walking is referred to as “idiopathic,” which means that the exact cause is not known, and the child continues to toe walk because has a preference to do so. I disagree with this statement as I have always found there is a specific reason why the child’s toe walks.

Four Most Common Reasons Kids Walk On Their Toes

1. Flat Feet: Children with flat feet have poor balance and coordination. To combat this, children might raise up on the toes to put the foot in a more stable position. Toe walking enhances the arch which creates a more stable foot (base) and temporarily improves the child’s balance and stability. This however is not normal and promotes improper muscle balance development and needs to be addressed.

2. Short Achilles tendon: A short Achilles tendon can prevent your child’s heels from touching the ground.

3. Sensory perceptions: Check the surface your child is walking on. Maybe the child doesn’t like the feeling of the cold tile or furry carpet and this exaggerates the symptoms.

4. Vision impairments: A short vision check with tracking and convergence can be helpful. Some children are required to go to vision therapy to strengthen their eyes. Many vision specialists say that they see a lot of kids toe walking with vision issues.

In my experience, most children walk on their toes due to having flat feet. I would say that 80% of the toe walking children I have helped were flat-footed.

An image of a toddler with toe walking tendencies standing barefoot.

One thing is clear, whatever reason might be causing your child to keep toe walking, you need to take action immediately. Please trust me that taking action early is key to preventing future problems for your child. Look at it this way, when children toe walk, they are doing something that is biomechanically incorrect, and that will have a lasting effect on your child’s muscle structure.

Follow My Two Step Approach to Correct Toe Walking

Below you can find my simple two step approach which has prevented several children from walking on their toes.

First Step: Trying a Pair of Orthotics

Orthotic inserts are pivotal in correcting toe walking, as they provide the necessary support and alignment to encourage proper foot placement during walking. By ensuring that the foot is correctly aligned, orthotics can help in redistributing pressure across the foot, promoting a more natural gait cycle. 

I have fitted one specific orthotic that has proven to be the most effective one for treating and preventing children from walking on their toes. The orthotic I recommend provides the following features:

30mm heel cup helps control the alignment of the heel and lower leg, and supports the arch.
Medial and lateral flanges help keep the foot aligned over the orthotic. I have noticed how most children’s prefabricated orthotics lack this feature and the child’s foot basically pushes through the orthotic and does whatever it wants.

Best Orthotics for Toe Walking

This is the best prefabricated on the market for helping treat, prevent, and control toe walking. Keep in mind that works well for a child who toe walks might not work as well for another, so it’s important to keep an open mind and try different approaches.

1. Deep heel cup that helps control the alignment of the heel and lower leg.

2. Medial and lateral flanges to help keep the foot aligned over the orthotic.

3. It’s not necessary to remove the original insoles of the shoes when fitting this orthotic.

Check Price

You Must Enter a Referral Code to Order this Orthotic

To place an order for littleSTEPS® Orthotics, you must submit a Referral Code in the Discount Window during the ordering process: JVFCS100121

Take a look at the chart below to figure out what orthotic size to order based on your child’s shoe size:

This orthotic can be shipped everywhere. Within the USA shipping can take about 10-15 days depending on the location and the shipping method. Overseas shipping is available but will be more expensive.

Please note that how effective this orthotic will be in preventing your child’s toe walking condition depends on your child’s age and your child’s individual foot anatomy.

Second Step: Trying Supportive Shoes

I have noticed that the most effective anti toe walking shoes meet the following three checkpoint criteria:

1. Avoid shoes that are too flexible: Shoes that provide too much flexibility make it easy for children to get on their toes. Make sure that the shoes your child wears are flexible but not too flexible. Your kids’ shoes should always bend at the ball of the foot but no further:

New Balance kids' shoe with the correct amount of flexibility vs Nike kids' shoe that is too flexible and unsupportive.
The difference in flexibility between a Nike shoe that bends all the way as a spiral (left image) and a New Balance shoe (right image).

2. Find Shoes with a Stable Base of Support: Some children raise on their toes to help improve their poor balance and coordination. Shoes that provide a stable base of support can help put your child’s feet in a more stable position and improve your child’s balance and stability.

supportive-shoes-for-children-with-flat-feet
The difference in support between a Saucony shoe (left image) and a New Balance shoe (right image).

3. Firm Heel Counters: A firm heel counter helps stabilize the foot and supports the orthotic in promoting heel strike. This feature is crucial for maintaining proper alignment and encouraging a natural gait.

New Balance shoe with a firm heel counter for kids with heel pain vs a Nike shoe with a soft heel counter.
The difference in heel support between a Nike shoe (left image) and a New Balance shoe (right image).

Choosing the Right Anti-Toe Walking Shoes for Kids

Orthotics alone may not be sufficient to correct toe walking; the right pair of shoes can greatly enhance the effectiveness of orthotic inserts. I created a different resource that has a list of anti-toe walking shoes that provide a stable base of support and are rigid at the front to help discourage toe walking.

Get in Touch for a Personalized Shoe Recommendation

As a shoe fitter, I offer tailored advice based on your child’s unique foot shape and walking pattern. If you have any questions or need any further assistance, you can also contact me via email and I will get back to you as soon as possible. I am happy to help you find a different pair of shoes for your child so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Are littleSTEPS Orthotics Better Than AFOs or SMOs?

They are definitely less bulky. Many medical professionals told me that these orthotics have a better carryover effect once children are out of the device compared to children who wore an articulated AFO that completely blocked plantar flexion at the ankle joint.

Another benefit of this orthotic is that it encourages rather than force the child into a normal gait pattern, which means that children use their own muscles to walk rather than relying on orthotics or braces.

How to Order the Correct Shoe Size – In Two Simple Steps!

Proper shoe sizing is crucial for orthotics to work effectively. I provide resources to help determine the correct size when ordering online. A correctly sized shoe ensures that the orthotic fits properly and functions as intended.

The shoes can’t be too big, which means that we have to compromise on the amount of growing room that we provide for your child. Shoes that are too big make it easier for children to get on their toes. I created a virtual shoe fitting service that will help you retrieve your child’s exact shoe size from home.

Final Thoughts on Toe Walking Children

Kids walking on tippy toes is common until a certain age, but it’s important to be proactive because the older your child gets, the harder the condition will be to manage. Providing your child with the correct type of shoes can make a big difference, but providing your child with the correct type of shoes and orthotics highly increases the chances of preventing children from walking on their toes.

Please remember that I am not a medical professional and my experience comes from fitting children’s shoes and orthotics at a specialized local children’s shoe store. Seek advice from a pediatrician, physical therapist, or orthotic specialist to determine the underlying cause of toe walking and appropriate interventions.

Have you found a specific orthotic or shoe that has worked well in preventing your child from toe walking? Let me know what you consider to be the best orthotics for toe walking so other families can benefit from your experiences.