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Intoeing

Have you noticed some intoeing on your child?

If you’ve noticed your child is a little pigeon-toed you may be wondering whether you should be concerned. Rest assured, pigeon toed walking, also known as intoeing, is very common in children and nothing terribly serious to worry about.

What is intoeing?

Intoeing is when a child’s feet turn inward instead of pointing straight ahead. It’s also known as being ‘pigeon-toed’. It’s usually noticed by parents when their child begins to walk but children of any age can display signs of pigeon-toed walking.

Intoeing is normal in children and most of the time, the condition will resolve itself, usually by the age of 8-10.

Signs and symptoms of intoeing

Most parents notice that their child has intoeing when they begin walking. However, other symptoms can include being prone to tripping, or looking awkward running or walking. Intoeing is usually diagnosed by a health professional, based on the appearance of the foot.

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What causes intoeing?

Three different conditions can cause intoeing.

Metatarsus Adductus

Normally, the outside of the foot is straight. Someone with metatarsus adductus has a foot that curves inwards from the middle part of the foot to the toes. Cases can vary from mild to rigid. It’s thought that the condition is related to the position of the baby in the mother’s uterus. Most of the time, the condition improves on its own without treatment by the age of 2 or 3. However, some children may need interventions to help straighten their feet.

Tibial torsion

This is when the bone of the lower leg turns inwards between the knee and the ankle. This can occur before birth, due to the limited space in the womb. Once the child is born and begins to grow, the legs usually gradually rotate and align properly without any treatment. This should happen by the age of 8.

Femoral anteversion

Intoeing in children can also be caused by a condition called femoral anteversion. Also known as excessive femoral torsion, this is when the thighbone (femur) turns inwards between the hip and the knee. This causes the knees and feet to point inward. Children with this condition often sit with their knees bent and their feet flared out behind them in a “W” position. Femoral anteversion is common in childhood and usually corrects itself by the age of 10.

Does intoeing get better by itself?

Most of the time, pigeon-toed feet resolve themselves on their own, as the child grows. As the bones grow and develop, they usually self-correct without any intervention or special treatment.

How do you correct intoeing?

Research shows that special shoes, braces and exercises often don’t help correct intoeing. Changing the child’s way of walking or sitting won’t make a difference either, and usually ends up causing frustration and anxiety in parents and children. There may be some cases where treatment and intervention is needed. For example: Babies 6-9 months of age with severe deformity or feet that are very rigid, as a result of metatarsus adductus may need casts or special shoes. This has a high treatment success rate. Children who are at least 8-10 years old who have significant trouble walking as a result of tibial torsion may need surgery to re-set the bone. Similarly, surgery may be considered in children aged 9-10 with femoral anteversion if they experience severe deformities that cause tripping and gait abnormalities. In these cases, surgery involves cutting the femur and rotating it into proper alignment.

Gait plate orthotics

Sometimes, special orthotics called gait plates may be helpful. While they won’t correct intoeing, they do encourage the outward rotation of feet when walking. Wearing them can help a child walk straighter, be more stable on their feet and reduce the likelihood of tripping. Gait plates can be custom-made to fit your child’s feet.

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When to see a podiatrist

It’s always a good idea to see a podiatrist if you have any concerns about your or your child’s feet. We are highly experienced and can provide an accurate diagnosis and the right advice for your unique condition.

While intoeing in children is normal and generally not something to be overly concerned about we recommend you make an appointment for an assessment. It’s particularly important to see us if the intoeing:

  • only affects one leg
    is severe and doesn’t improve over time
  • causes tripping or affects participation in physical activities in a school-aged child
  • is associated with very stiff feet that don’t improve over time.

At The Foot Hub our experienced and friendly podiatrists are here to help manage a range of foot conditions that can affect you and your family.

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