Toe Walking Trick: Sideways Pivot for Foot Control 🦶🏾➡️ | Pediatric PT Toe Walker #45

🎯 Sideways “Wiggle Wobble” | Single-Leg Pivot Control for Toe Walking 🎯🦶🏾 Pediatric Physical Therapy | Mykael #45 👋🏾 Meet Mykael Mykael is an 8-year-old child with persistent toe walking. His toe walking increases when he is tired, anxious, sick, or emotionally dysregulated. He walks more on his toes when barefoot or in less supportive shoes, and less when wearing supportive athletic shoes 👟🦶🏽. Toe walking runs in Mykael’s family — his grandfather, uncle, and father are also toe walkers. Hinged plantarflexion-stop orthotics had been recommended by his therapist; at this visit, his family shared that he has not been wearing them. 🦶🏾 What We’re Working On In this session, Mykael practices a sideways pivoting activity on one foot — what I call the “sideways wiggle wobble.” The goal is to move sideways while staying on one foot by pivoting: heel → toe → heel → toe rather than hopping. This activity focuses on: 🔹 side-to-side control of the foot and ankle 🔹 single-leg balance 🔹 controlled pivoting without jumping 🔹 coordination between the foot, ankle, and hip 🔹 maintaining contact with the ground during movement 🟦 The Setup I first demonstrate the movement without support while facing the camera. Then Mykael performs the activity while holding onto a parked car for balance. His job is to: 🔹 stand on one foot 🔹 move sideways along the car 🔹 pivot the foot gradually (heel first, then toe) 🔹 avoid hopping The surface of the street adds natural resistance, which actually helps slow the movement and improve control. 👀 What You’ll Notice Watch closely as Mykael moves sideways: 🔹 the foot pivots inward and outward 🔹 the heel and toe take turns leading the movement 🔹 balance is maintained on one leg 🔹 the hips assist, especially when the task becomes challenging 🔹 attempts to hop are corrected to keep the movement controlled You’ll also see the difference between his right and left sides, as well as how he adapts when the task becomes more difficult. 🧠 Why This Helps Toe Walking Children who toe walk often lack: 🔹 controlled weight shifting over the foot 🔹 rotation and adaptability at the foot and ankle 🔹 single-leg balance with the heel down 🔹 coordination between the foot and the rest of the body This activity encourages: 🔹 active heel contact 🔹 controlled ankle movement in multiple directions 🔹 weight shifting without leaving the ground 🔹 improved foot awareness and positioning All of these support more stable, heel-down walking patterns. 🏡 Ideas for Home Practice You can try this activity using: 🔹 a couch or countertop 🔹 a wall 🔹 a parked car Focus on: 🔹 keeping one foot lifted 🔹 moving sideways slowly 🔹 pivoting heel to toe instead of hopping 🔹 providing hand support as needed You can make it easier by holding both hands, or harder by reducing support. 🕒 Timestamps (Chapters) 0:00 – Intro to Amy and Mykael 0:25 – Demonstration of sideways pivot without support 0:50 – Mykael begins with support at the car 1:10 – Practicing without hopping 1:40 – Right side vs left side attempts 2:05 – Adjustments and problem-solving 2:15 – Wrap-up ⚠️ Disclaimer This video is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. It would be unethical for me to provide specific treatment recommendations for a child I have not personally evaluated. 📧 Contact amysturkey@gmail.com 🦶🏾 Toe Walking Video Series (Mykael) This video is part of an ongoing pediatric physical therapy series addressing toe walking through: 🔹 balance 🔹 strength 🔹 motor control 🔹 functional movement 🔗 Watch the full Mykael toe walking series here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAkJbMrHyKjP470frDXaGDv2XrtEqPEUx 📚 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 🌍 Captions & Translations Subtitles are available and can be auto-translated into many languages 🌍👧🏽👦🏿👩🏾‍🦱👨🏽‍🦱