Children Walking With Their Feet Pointing Inwards

We regularly see children walking with their feet pointing inwards. This is a condition known as in-toeing. Do you know the reason behind this condition?

The rotation of the leg starts already during pregnancy, when babies are still in the womb.  Leg development does not stop until children are 8 years old, when they finally reach the final angle.

For this reason, you may see your child walking with his or her feet pointing inward. If this is the case, don’t worry. The problem will most likely resolve on its own without the need for treatment.

The main causes of walking with feet pointing inwards

Internal Tibial Torsion

As the name implies, one of the main causes of children walking with their feet pointing inwards is a deformity of the shinbone.

This deformation creates an inward rotation. This condition often resolves on its own over time and does not require treatment.

Adduct metatarsus

Another possible cause of in-toeing is metatarsus adductus, a condition in which the inner part of the foot is turned inward. This is usually due to the baby’s position in the womb and lack of space as he or she starts to grow.

Even with this deformity, the child’s feet may be flexible or stiff. The flexibility will indicate whether treatment is needed or not. If treatment is necessary, it is important to take the age of the child into account.

When babies are treated before the age of 1 they often have to put in a cast. The aim of this treatment is to correct the position of the foot before the baby starts to walk.

When the child is older, experts will likely operate on the child so that they can release the joints from the inside of the foot. Plaster is also needed for the recovery.

Femoral anteversion

Femoral anteversion occurs when the thigh rotates inward, causing the knees and feet to do the same. It’s pretty easy to spot this problem when kids are sitting, because their legs make a W shape.

In addition, they find it difficult to sit cross-legged, which is a common sitting position for children.

This condition takes longer to correct because the twist in the femur can cause children to walk with their feet pointing inward for more than 10 years. With this condition, it is best to wait until the problem corrects itself.

If children continue to walk with their feet pointing inward until puberty, they may need surgery to correct the problem.

Walking with the feet pointing inwards, how do you solve this?

The first thing to do is monitor your child for a few days in a row. If you see your child walking with his or her feet pointing inward, you should take him or her to the doctor.

Normally, the doctor will first perform an X-ray and perhaps a scan. This way he can find out if the spin is serious.

As we explained above, most cases are not serious. This is because the legs are not defined until the child is 8 or 10 years old. If your child still walks with his or her feet pointing inward after this age, this can be fixed with a simple surgery.

A surgeon will place small metal plates in the area of ​​the cartilage, or directly mold the feet so that they are straight again.