Toe Walking After Age 3

Many children will walk on their toes when first learning to ambulate in an upright position, but they soon outgrow the habit. Those who don’t outgrow it by the age of three years may have an underlying medical condition such as muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy, or possibly a generalized disease that affects their nerves and muscles. Some autistic children also display toe-walking due to associated problems with muscle development and coordination. Nonsurgical methods of treating this condition may start with targeted stretches and progress to orthotic devices, casting and chemodenervation of the affected muscles (a neurologic therapy involving the use of Botulinum toxin).