Understanding Pigeon Toes
With pigeon toes, your child’s toes point toward each other instead of forward. Pigeon toes are commonly caused by bones or joints that don’t point in the right way (misaligned). Also called intoeing, pigeon toes may be noted as your child begins walking. It’s normal for parents to worry about their children, but pigeon toes generally don’t cause any pain. In most cases, pigeon toes resolve on their own without causing long-term issues. In more severe cases your podiatrist may implement treatments to help straighten your child’s feet.
Causes of Pigeon Toes
One of the most common causes of in-toeing is hamstring tightness. However, the condition can also be caused by abnormal positioning of the bones in the feet (metatarsus adductus), leg (medial tibial torsion), or hip (internal hip position).
It can also be a result of neurological conditions such as Cerebral Palsy.
Pigeon Toes Treatment in Perth
Treatment for in-toeing initially consists of adjusting the child’s sitting and sleeping positions to encourage normal muscular development, and stretches for the hamstring muscles.
If this action fails, functional orthotics (custom-made shoe inserts) designed to encourage the child to walk in a more ‘normal’ position (gait plates) may be prescribed by Galleria Podiatry. In the most serious of cases, serial plaster casting may be required. Galleria Podiatry can advise you on the appropriate course of action.
