The “No Tip Toe” has been developed by a Physical Therapist and father of a son with Idiopathic Toe Walking or “ITW”. He recognized that his son often walked on his toes and needed constant reminders to walk with the preferred and more natural heel to toe pattern. As a Physical Therapist he tried exercises with balancing and stretches, but also more involved casting. All without lasting results. For two straight years he modified, simplified, and perfected the “No Tip Toe” brace. The brace is now easy to apply and wear, invisible to the child’s friends, and with long term lasting success.

The “No Tip Toe” brace is:

• Easy to apply

• Inside the shoe, invisible to school friends.

• Flexible enough to allow for full toe motion, important for normal walking.

• Providing gentle pressure on the foot when the child is walking on his or her toes, creating a constant reminder to walk in a normal and natural manner.

   

  Instructions:

• Apply the brace with Velcro to the big toe and two strips of sports tape to the forefoot (all included.

• Put on socks and shoes.

• Wear initially 1-2 hours per day and increase each day an hour as the child is able and feels comfortable wearing the No Tip Toe brace.

   

  Precautions:

• Check skin after wearing and if any reddened areas remain red for over 20 minutes reduce wearing time or possibly stop using the brace.

• Do not use on open or blistered skin.

• Do not use if the child has any diagnosis that leaves him or her with reduced or no sensation in his feet.

   

  Comfort:

• The brace is handmade to size specifications. It is simple to modify the brace and make it i.e. tighter or looser around the toe by heating it with a blow dryer (remove the brace from the foot first) and bend it slightly for a better fit.

 NOTE: Please specify shoe size and if the brace is for a boy or a girl

 

Idiopathic Toe Walking (ITW) or Habitual Toe Walking is when a child continues to walk on his or her toes beyond the age of three. Toe walking is fairly common for children younger than three, and is almost always completely gone by the end of the third year.

Characteristics of a person with idiopathic toe walking:

• Constantly balancing on their toes

• Walking with straight knees

• Will often be able to stand with their flat feet on the ground

• Walking on tip toes

• Strong and/or very tight calf muscles

Idiopathic toe walking is generally not a serious condition, but can overtime become a problem for muscles, joints, and balance if not identified and treated early in life.

Traditional treatment options have included:

• Stretching of calf muscles (helpful, but not habit changing)

• Botox injections (has shown some initial good results)

• Repeated casting of feet (expensive, cumbersome, and does not allow for normal walking pattern)

• Surgery (a possible good last resort choice)