Toe-Walking
Natural Remedies

  1. Home
  2. Children

Natural Remedies for Toe-Walking in Children

| Modified on Jan 15, 2025
Add New Post Comments

Toe-walking, where a child walks on the balls of their feet, is common in early childhood but can persist in some cases. While medical consultation is essential for underlying conditions, there are natural remedies that may help improve walking patterns. Below, we share simple and effective tips for managing toe-walking naturally.

1. Gentle Stretching Exercises

Regular stretching can help relax tight calf muscles and improve the range of motion. Try these exercises:

  • Calf Stretch: Have your child stand facing a wall, place their hands on it, and step one foot back while keeping it straight. Encourage them to lean forward gently.
  • Toe-to-Heel Rock: Encourage your child to rock gently from their toes to their heels while standing.

2. Proper Footwear

Choose supportive footwear with a firm heel counter. Avoid shoes that are too soft or encourage tiptoeing, such as certain sandals or slippers.

3. Physical Activity

Incorporate activities that promote full foot usage, such as:

  • Walking on uneven surfaces like grass or sand.
  • Playing barefoot indoors to improve sensory feedback.
  • Balance exercises on a wobble board or foam pad.

4. Massage and Relaxation

Massaging your child’s calves and feet can alleviate tension in tight muscles. Use a gentle circular motion with a natural oil or lotion to soothe and relax the area.

5. Encourage Mindful Walking

Make walking fun by creating games where your child focuses on using their entire foot. For example:

  • Walking with exaggerated heel strikes.
  • Playing “heel-to-toe” stepping games.

6. Monitor and Support

Consistency is key. Gently remind your child to walk with their heels down during daily activities. Positive reinforcement can encourage better habits over time.

When to Seek Professional Help

If your child's toe-walking persists beyond age five, or if you notice stiffness, pain, or developmental delays, consult a healthcare provider. Early intervention is essential for addressing potential underlying issues.

By combining natural remedies with patience and consistency, you can support your child in developing healthy walking patterns.

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Sort by Default New Loved

Toe-Walking Remedies

Posted by MamaRo (Canada ) on 01/07/2025

I recently used many of the remedies on the site to deal with some upper respiratory issues and found myself perusing remedies as I laid in bed resting. I was surprised to find information about stuttering which made me wonder about remedies for toewalking. Would you have any suggestions or insight into treatment for toewalking in children?

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee)
01/09/2025

Dear MamaRo,

How old is your toe walking child? Has he had an evaluation by a doctor? It would be good to rule out an anatomical issue.

My grandson did outgrow his toe walking, but I know his mother had to have casting/bracing as a child for hers.

I would recommend finding a pediatric physical therapist.

I found this website to have practical things you can do at home to help a child who is toe walking.

~Mama to Many~

Replied by Charlie
(Redding)
01/09/2025

My son used to fall all the time because he would always walk up over the top of his toes. Like he was trying to walk on the top of his feet. He was born early and my chiropractor said that contributed to his Achilles tendon being short. So everyday we went to the stairs and stretched his feet by standing on the toes, holding the rail, and lowering his heels below his toes. A few weeks later he walked and ran just fine. How that helps.

Replied by StevenIL
(Illinois)
01/15/2025

I think you should consider learning about primitive reflexes. Toe walking may be a symptom of a retained Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (TLR). Heres some good information on it for you to check out.

https://brainbrighttherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Primitive-Reflex-Handout_symptoms.pdf
Search for toe walking in that document, it shows symptoms for the various reflexes in a simple to see list.

https://www.solvelearningdisabilities.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Primitive-Reflex-Free-Guide.pdf ***
This has all the information on the symptoms, exercises that are used to integrate reflexes.

https://bee-you.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/test_and_exercises_for_the_basic_reflexes.pdf
--------
Also check out the Babinski reflex. You can type toe walking in find for the document to find the information
https://www.neurodevelopmentalmovement.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Plantar-Reflex_Babinski-22.pdf
-------

They are usually developed at different stages of development and we ideally integrate them as we go, but there are many reasons people can go backwards, there are many adults with these unintegrated reflexes that cannot figure out why they do certain things such as startle easily, etc. Stress or being stuck in overwhelming / overstimulating circumstances being one of them. One of the files has exercises, just explore the whole concept and the activity / exercises that can be done to integrate them. Those are free resources that you can check out to see if any of the other descriptions match to figure out if any of it is relevant or not. Ive seen the simple exercises help out tremendously with adults, teens, and children. Its sprisingly common



Please note that we use cookies necessary for the functioning of our website, cookies that optimize the performance. To learn more about our cookies, how we use them and their benefits, please read our Privacy Policy