IS YOUR CHILD PIGEON/INTOE WALKING?
Pigeon toe walking (intoeing) is a very common condition Chiropractors see in practice every
week. Intoeing is when the foot or leg appears to turn inward when a child stands or walks.
Children will present in practice for multiple concerns surrounding intoeing such as frequent
tripping, slower pace of walking or running, experiencing pain or just a noticeable intoeing gait.
In children Intoeing can arise from several different regions in the body such as the pelvis, hips,
knees, ankles or feet. It can begin from birth with in utero constraints or develop whilst your child is
learning to walk or later after an injury. Chiropractors will assess your child’s gait pattern, the
alignment of the pelvis and lower limb, range of motion of the joints and muscle strength to
determine which region is attributing to the intoeing.
As Chiropractors, we love to look at how the body is functioning and ensure that all parts of the body
are working together.
Book your appointment today for an assessment of your child’s walking pattern!
Try out some of these exercises to encourage foot external rotation while you wait for your
appointment!
1. Frog jumps – crouch down with knees apart and feet rotated outwards and jump
around pretending to be a frog. Don’t forget to make a ribbit!
2. Penguin walking – stand with your legs and heels together and toes pointed
outwards and arms down by your side and waddle around like a penguin!
3. Test out your balance and try and walk in a straight line heel to toe, make sure your
toes are pointing forwards.
4. Other activities such as bike riding and ballet are excellent at helping your child
encourage your gluteal and leg muscles.