Orthotics for Kids with Out-Toeing – Let’s Improve Your Child’s Foot Posture and Prevent Foot Pain
Is your child walking with their feet pointing outwards instead of straight ahead? If their out-toeing is linked to flat feet, certain orthotics can help improve their foot posture and walking gait. As a shoe fitter specializing in children’s shoes and orthotics, I work with various types of orthotics to address out-toeing. One particular orthotic stands out as the most effective and least invasive option for correcting this issue.
Many physical and occupational therapists refer families of children with out-toeing to the shoe store where I work for expert fitting of supportive shoes and orthotics. These professionals emphasize that even if a child with out-toeing isn’t experiencing foot pain, the condition is still treatable. The key is early intervention—addressing it sooner makes the condition much easier to manage and correct.
How to Identify Out-Toeing in Your Child’s Feet
Out-toeing is a gait pattern characterized by the outward turning of the feet when standing or during walking. I have noticed that an out-toeing gait is often associated with having flat feet. Children who have flat feet and have out-toeing are also more prone to trip and fall.
This gait abnormality is relatively common in young children. However, even though this is a common condition, parents should be proactive and address this condition from an early stage. Prolonged out-toeing might lead to your child putting extra pressure on joints in the hips, legs, and feet, which can lead to ongoing issues over time.
Can Orthotics Help Prevent Out-Toeing?
Orthotics can help treat and prevent out-toeing by putting your child’s feet in a more stable position. It’s amazing what a difference the correct pair of orthotics can make in improving a child’s foot posture and overall walking gait.
Real-Life Impact: Before and After
Most parents feel anxious when they notice that their child’s feet are at an unusual angle and find out that their child might have out-toeing. While it can be a cause for concern, the good news is that supportive orthotics can help manage and even correct this condition.
Do You Know Whether Your Child Has Flat Feet?
Children who have flat feet are more prone to having foot postural and gait issues since their feet are not as stable, so they naturally turn their feet outward to help them balance. Walking with the feet outwards temporarily improves the child’s balance and stability. This however is not normal and promotes improper muscle balance development and needs to be addressed.
Key Features of Orthotics for Out-Toeing
The orthotics I recommend are highly effective in treating and preventing out-toeing, offering key features such as:
1. Deep Heel Cups: 30mm heel cup helps control the alignment of the heel and lower leg, and supports the arch. Most parents of children with flat feet make the common mistake of assuming that they need to find an orthotic that provides good arch support. When a child has a flat foot, you don’t only support the arch, you mechanically support the pieces of the foot that cause the foot to be flat such as the heels.
2. Medial and Lateral Flanges: Medial and lateral flanges are key in keeping the foot properly aligned over the orthotic, and I’ve seen firsthand how many prefabricated children’s orthotics lack this crucial feature. Without this support, the child’s foot often pushes through the orthotic and moves in all the wrong directions, compromising its effectiveness.
The orthotics I recommend also feature a medium rearfoot posting and a medial skive, which help improve foot alignment and stability.
Best Orthotics for Kids with Out-Toeing
This orthotic inserts for out-toeing is the best prefabricated on the market for helping treat and control out-toeing due to flat feet. I have tested several different orthotics for children with out-toeing and this one has proven to be the most effective one.
1. Order littleSTEPS® Orthotics gait plates from their website using Referral Code: JVFCS100121
2. It’s not necessary to remove the original insoles of the shoes when fitting this orthotic.
3. The 3/4 length design makes it easier to fit into various shoe styles.
4. Take a look at this chart to figure out what size to order based on your child’s shoe size.
This orthotic is going to help stabilize your child’s heels and keep the feet aligned rather than turning outward.
What Shoes Work Best with These Orthotics?
Remember, the orthotics I recommend will be most effective when paired with the right shoes. The combination of properly fitted shoes and orthotics plays a crucial role in treating and preventing your child’s out-toeing. Also, be sure your child’s shoes are always securely tied—this ensures they get the full support and stability needed for optimal foot health.
Can Shoes and Orthotics Treat and Prevent Out-Toeing?
Some medical professionals believe that orthotics and shoes are completely ineffective in helping treat out-toeing, but it’s unclear whether they have tried the correct types of shoes and orthotics to being with. Other medical professionals strongly believe that the correct types of shoes and orthotics are a must when helping treat and prevent out-toeing. How effective the orthotics that I recommended will be for your child depends on your child’s individual foot anatomy and the degree of your child’s out-toeing.
It doesn’t matter what treatment or approach you decide to take, your goal should be to encourage your child’s feet to move into a better position. Most families who allowed this condition to resolve on its own wished they would have acted sooner. If treatments such as physiotherapy or wearing supportive shoes and orthotics are not successful, your doctor may recommend surgery.
Please note that children’s feet are constantly developing, and what happens to their feet during their childhood will affect their physique as they grow older.
