Toe Walking Balance Challenge: Bean Bag Toss from the Foot 🦶🏾🎯 | Pediatric PT #38

🎯 Beat Toe Walking with Balance & Target Practice 🎯🦶🏾 | Pediatric PT #9 👋🏾 Meet Mykael When we started filming these videos, Mykael was 7 years old. He is a persistent toe walker, and his toe walking tends to increase when he is tired, anxious, sick, or emotionally dysregulated. He also walks more on his toes when barefoot or in less supportive shoes, and less when wearing tennis shoes 👟🦶🏽. Toe walking runs in his family — his grandfather and uncle are also toe walkers. Mykael wears hinged plantarflexion-stop orthotics, as recommended by his current therapist. 🦶🏾 What We’re Working On in This Video In this session, we focus on balance, ankle strength, and forward progression of the tibia (shin) over the foot — a key movement skill for children who toe walk. I place a bean bag on Mykael’s raised foot, which requires him to: • balance on one leg 🧍🏾‍♂️ • keep the stance foot grounded • control ankle position while preparing to move I place the bean bag slowly, increasing the balance demand and preventing him from rushing through the task ⏳⚖️. 🎯 The Target & Scoring Setup In front of Mykael, I set up three rows of carpet squares: • each square is about 8 inches • spaced 1–2 inches apart • close together — the challenge is control, not distance 🎯 Scoring adds motivation and precision: • front row = 10 points • middle row = 20 points • back row = 30 points Throwing a bean bag from the top of the foot is challenging, and Mykael both succeeds and misses as he works through this task. The activity provides a just-right challenge that keeps him motivated while demanding balance, control, and precise timing 💪🏽🧠. 🧠 Clinical Observation When Mykael aims for the 30-point targets, his shin does not move forward over his foot the way it does when I demonstrate the task myself. This gives families and therapists a clear visual of how distance, balance, and ankle motion interact — and where future work can be directed 👀🦶🏾. 🏡 Easy Modifications at Home You don’t need special equipment for this activity. You could use: • carpet squares • a tic-tac-toe board ❌⭕ • a cornhole board • towels or paper targets Bean bags work especially well because they: • stay balanced on the foot • don’t bounce unpredictably • provide clear feedback on accuracy 🎒🎯 🕒 Timestamps (Chapters) 0:00 – Intro to Amy and Mykael 0:20 – Toe walking background and goals 0:40 – Setting up balance on one foot 0:55 – Explaining the 10-20-30 point targets 1:05 – First target attempts 1:25 – Balance strategies during the task 1:45 – Reaching for the 30-point target 2:05 – Shin position and movement analysis 2:25 – Wrap-up and where to find more videos 🦶🏾 Toe Walking Video Series (Mykael – Video #9) This video is part of an ongoing pediatric physical therapy series addressing toe walking through: • balance • strength • motor control • functional movement patterns 🔗 Watch the full series here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjP470frDXaGDv2XrtEqPEUx If you’re new, start from the beginning for best continuity 📺👨🏾‍🦱👩🏽‍🦱. 📚 Books by Amy Sturkey Children’s Educational Books: “A is for Autism” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071F4FFTB “D is for Down Syndrome” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079P8HH49 “C is for Cerebral Palsy” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088TSJCYP “A is for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08QH9H5HR “A is for Anxiety” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LXQ3W6V “P is for Poop and Pee Accidents” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLSRJ483 Professional Pediatric Physical Therapy Books: “Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Hips” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156736 “Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Knees” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/0998156760 “Pediatric Physical Therapy Strengthening Exercises for the Ankles” → https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TX2ZCFD ✉️ Questions or Suggestions? Email: amysturkey@gmail.com Please note: I cannot provide specific treatment recommendations for children I have not personally evaluated. 🌍 Captions & Translations Subtitles are available and can be auto-translated into many languages so families and therapists around the world can follow along 🌍👧🏽👦🏿👩🏾‍🦱👨🏽‍🦱