Feet

Updated on March 10, 2008
J.C. asks from Lehigh Acres, FL
30 answers

my 26 month old look like she is oigeon toed - her feet turn inward when she walks. when i was her age my mom said i was the same way. she said that the doctors put my feet in casts trying to straighten them out but she said that didnt work so she ended up putting my shoes on the wrong feet and they straigtened out. should i do the same thing or will they straighten out on their own? please help. thank u J.

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N.D.

answers from Birmingham on

J.
I am a pediatrician at UAB. I suggest making her an appointment with Orthopaedics to see what the latest technologies are.

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L.L.

answers from Little Rock on

My grandaughters did too and the dr. Put her shoes on the wrong feet and tied them firmly. Not sandles boots and then good tennys. Shes fine now. Unless its really bad try that.
A granny

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H.C.

answers from Alexandria on

I've known a few people who have had children that that has happened to. Some of them did put the shoes on the wrong feet and it worked for them, a couple of them went and got this shoes that are made for that. They are made for the child's feet and and there are expensive but they say those work. I use to work in day care and one of the little girls had to get them and they look like regular shoes.

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D.R.

answers from Fayetteville on

My feet did that too when I was little and I grew out of it with out treatment.

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D.H.

answers from Texarkana on

J.,

I would speak to the pediatrician and see what he/she recommends...

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D.L.

answers from Tulsa on

aJen,

many pediatricans will tell you that they will out grow it but in ALOT of cases they are wrong. If you have to have a referal to see a specialist INSIST for peace of mind. A pediatric podiatrist will be able to tell you exactly what needs to be done. THe wait and see approach is dangerous because if she doesn't out grow it and you wait the only way to fix it is surgery. Good luck. You are your kids best doctor. If you are uncomfortable it is worth checking out and if your pediatrician balks then get a new one. They should have your childs best interest at heart not their ego.

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S.C.

answers from Oklahoma City on

J., I have a coworker who's son is in the same boat. I say try it. They have to do it for 6 months then go to the dr. to see if it is fixed.

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M.N.

answers from Enid on

Our family had several children with crooked legs and feet in it, me included. My daughters feet hung completely to the side. The doctor said to give her a couple of years and that she wouldn't walk till about 18 months old. She walked at 11 months and her feet straightened out on their own. My nephew's legs were so severly bowed that his legs would go wider apart with each step. He didn't walk until about 18 months. They needed to fix his legs but couldn't because of his heart problems. By the time he was four his legs were completely straight and you would have never known how crooked they had been.

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L.A.

answers from Pine Bluff on

Hi, My little girl's feet were "horrible" when she was a baby. I was so afraid she was going to pigeon-toed. They told me the same thing, that her feet would straighten out and older people i knew told me about putting her shoes on the wrong foot. I think they straightened out on their own though because she's not pigeon-toed and I am so glad!!! That is so not cute on a woman...

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R.D.

answers from Mobile on

My daughter had that at that age. We wnt to the doc, and he told us it something to do w/ her hips, and she had to wear a brace at night only. So it might not be her feet.

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C.S.

answers from Enid on

Hello The best thing is to have your family dr exam her then have her see an orthopedic dr. My daughter at 12 months toed in really bad with her left foot. She had to wear specail shoes with a brace thing on her shoes at night. That has been over 30 years ago they may have different things they do now. Its best to make sure she doesnt have a problem that needs correcting. Good luck.

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T.P.

answers from Tuscaloosa on

Hi,
Please don't do that unless told so by a specialist. Kids actually grow in phases...sometimes their feet should turn in and sometimes they are supposed to turn out. The things they told our parents to do to us (I wore a bar on my shoes) have been proven useless and often harmful. Most times, kids will straighten their legs and feet out by the time they are 3. However, if you think your daughter is falling a lot because of her foot position, a pediatric physical therapist can often help.
One thing you can do at home is to not let her sit in the "w" position if she likes to do so a lot. It's normal for kids to sit this way sometimes, but some kids (like my son) want to do it all the time. That can eventually cause their femur bones to twist, making it look like their feet are turning either out or in. The "w" position is when they sit with their butt on the floor with their knees bent and their feet behind them. If they are sitting ON their feet, it's OK. If your daughter is one of these kids, encourage her to sit criss-cross (what we used to call "indian-style").
If you are really concerned, be sure to mention it to her pediatrician and/or consult a pediatric PT.

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T.D.

answers from Fort Smith on

my daughter was also pigeon toed for about a year. my mother in law said to put her shoes on backward too but i just let her go barefoot most of the time. her doctor didn't think it was too serious a problem, and her foot straightened itself out by the time she was two. if you are concerned i would suggest talking to your daughters doctor. he or she can probably tell you if there is any need for intervention. good luck!

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L.B.

answers from Jackson on

Have pediatrician check her out. Sounds like possible tibial torsion (?). Treatment depends on severity. Sometimes, if not significant enough, child "grows out of it."

Again, as always, check w/pediatrician rather than resorting to Internet advice. Good luck!!

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D.D.

answers from Baton Rouge on

J. Hello

same here.....they have new types of shoes out now yes take your child to the correct doctor for this need......my child where them for about 10 months im glad i did it early you know how kids can be cruel. good luck DD

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A.W.

answers from Baton Rouge on

My 21 month old daughter walks on the insides of her feet, and her Physical Therapist is recommending stints in her shoes to help her walk flat on her feet. She is getting kind of "knock-kneed" (sp?). Maybe you should check with her Pediatrician & see if he/she would recommend a Physical Therapist. My daughter is a "heart baby", and we've had other problems, so I brought her to her Pediatric Neurologist about the walking, & she referred us to the Physical Therapist.

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A.A.

answers from Houma on

We just brought our 20 month old to a pediatric orthopedic for the same thing. my husband was pigeon toed and wore corrective shoes when he was young. The doctor said that in his case they should turn out on their own because his feet themselves are straight. I know that it is different if their feet are curved. But he said he doesn't suggest any treatment until they are 5 or 6 becasue most times they turn out on their own and if he were to correct them now that they would eventually turn all the way out which would be another problem. Another thing is my son always sits on his knees with his feet behind him. And he said to make sure we do not let him sit that way because it will make it worst and to try and have him sit indian style. He still is not quite sitting indian style but we have gotten him to sit on his behind for the most part. We still have to constantly remind him but I think it is working. I hope this was some what helpful to you.

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B.A.

answers from Fort Smith on

That is truely something you should ask your Dr. dear ,they know best. I know if it was me -I'd sit and massage my child's feet and work the bones gently so they went the other way.

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B.P.

answers from Tulsa on

J.,
I was told, by a podiatrist, that the feet and the tendons didn't actually start developing until they were about 3. However you might want to take her to a podiatrist and have a professional check her out. My dad was pigeon toed and they put his shoes on the wrong feet. It did work. But that was many years ago. Surely they have better ways with technology and what not. Good luck. Let me know what you find out, my daughter who is 28 months is pigeon toed.

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B.S.

answers from Hattiesburg on

Hi J., I would take her to an orthopod. She may have anteverted femurs, that cause the toes to point inward.

Sincerely,
B. S. RN.,CCM.

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A.B.

answers from Lake Charles on

my son was the same way when he was born both feet were tucked in tight and turned in. the dr. said they would straighten out on their on and other people suggested the shoe on opposite foot thing, that just seemed uncomfortable to me so I just did what the dr. said and let it go and his feet are perfectly fine now. He is now 4.

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L.C.

answers from Monroe on

Hi J.,
I haven't ever been faced with that problem so I can't be of much first hand help. But I beg of you to seek medical care for your daughter. Start with your doctor and hopefully on to see an orthopedic doctor. Please don't resort to putting her shoes on the wrong feet like your Mom did. I know she did what she thought was best to correct your problem.. But How painful that must have been. Try putting your shoes on the wrong feet and walk around in them for an hour and I bet that will no longer consider putting your baby through that. Again, please don't do that to her. Good Luck and enjoy her!

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M.C.

answers from New Orleans on

Pediatric doctor should have done a physical on your baby which included hip placement. The main concern is the hip and the bone growth. Many will develope fine, but please have her bone development checked before you decide to put the wrong shoes on her feet.

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J.H.

answers from Dothan on

I know this goes against the American Orthepaedic foot and Ankle Society. But my daughter did not start having proplmes with this until she was 4 yrs and a few months old. We went through the whole ordeal of x-rays, boone scans, etc. The conclusion was with in the last 4 months she had out grown her shoes we had bought for her in germany and withthe return to the great USA or childs shoe ware went down hill. I started looking back at the European shoes she has wornsinceshe was walking they all have an arch. Today being 5 and now in a 12, I have yet to find a shoe that has and arch. She has been wearing custom made shoe inserts which has help develop a slight arch, and her feet have begun tostart turning correctly.

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M.P.

answers from Tuscaloosa on

Hi J.,
MY name is M., I have a five year old daughter. She had the same problem when she started walking. The drs. just keep telling me that it was cause she started walking at 7 months and her feet were still developing. They told me to get her some shoes with better support and it would help her out.. I did and it work.. I went out and got her some Nike shocks. To the day she has problems with walking funny when she is wearing flip flops during the summer.. As much as I hate to make her wear tennie shoes i have no choice.. she just need a little support.. I would try just getting her some nice good shoes and if that dont work bring it up to the dr bout getting her braces or something for her feet.. I have heard that braces are the way to go..

hope all works out for you.
M.
Im 23 years old. been married for 4 years now and work in the nursing field.. Going to start LPN school this fall.

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M.W.

answers from Fort Smith on

My son who is almost 31 had trouble walking. He walked heal to heal. About 20 months of age someone got us into the Shrine's program for children. It turned out that he had deformed Tibias. But they did not want to do surgery as he was just walking good and it might frustrate him. Due to his problem his ankles were weak so he was given little brown shoes to support his ankles. Today when he catches himself waddling like a duck He still does this when he runs. He will straighten his feet on his own. I waited too longer actually was not aware there was aproblem. Please take your little darling to your DR and a specialist. ther is more that can be domne today than 30 yrs ago. M.

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N.R.

answers from Tuscaloosa on

Avoid any future regrets and follow a doctor's orders - this nothing to second-guess!

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S.R.

answers from New Orleans on

My son is 3 1/2 and he's pigeon toed. It started when he began to walk and got bad enough that he was tripping over his own feet. We took him to the doctor and she told us his tibias were twisted( worse on his right foot than left) She said he should grow out of it by the time he is 5 or 6 and if not they can do surgery to correct it. She also said that it would do no good to fit him for shoes because it wasnt his feet at all. My in-laws were telling me to put his shoes on the wrong feet too and I asked the dr about it. She said they did that back in the day and the only reason it seemed to work is the children grew out of their conditions. Putting their shoes on the wrong feet did nothing but make them uncomfortable. Please don't. If it is something to do with her feet they can fit her for shoes that will help and wont be nearly as uncomfortable! But the dr will be able to help you and if it is a "wait and see" thing then you can always do something about it later if she doesnt grow out of it. Good Luck!

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R.W.

answers from Birmingham on

TO be on the safe side I recommend checking it out with Shriner's Hospital. My daughter had two surgeries with them to correct webbed fingers. She is still under observation with them because she has an extra toe on her left foot. Anything they do is free of charge to you no matter your income. We loved our experience. You can check out their website if you like!

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D.J.

answers from Houma on

Listen to your mother if she say that you where like that and the child's doctor is a good doctor. Just keep track and go from there.

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