Toe Walking in Children

Toe walking is a pattern of walking in which your child walks on their toes and balls of their feet. Their heels don’t make contact with the ground.

In children under the age of 2, toe walking is common as they’re learning how to walk. It isn’t normally a cause for concern. Your child will usually begin to walk with a heel-to-toe pattern as they get older. No treatment is usually necessary.

If your child continues to walk on their tiptoes after the age of 2, it may be a sign of an underlying medical condition.

How common is toe walking?

Toe walking is fairly common. At the age of 5 and a half, 2% of typically developing children still toe walk. In children with developmental disorders or delays, 41% were toe walkers at the same age.