Surgical Outcomes for Severe Idiopathic Toe Walkers

Idiopathic Toe Walking: An Update on Natural History, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Toe walking is a common presenting report to an orthopaedic practice. Evaluation of a child with toe walking includes a thorough history and physical examination to elucidate the diagnosis. When no other diagnosis is suspected, a diagnosis of idiopathic toe walking is often given. Despite the high prevalence of the condition, there is notable controversy of the nomenclature of the disease. Recent research has shed more light on both the natural history and the genetic basis. The use of motion analysis, including EMG and multisegment foot model, may help both differentiate children with mild forms of cerebral palsy and evaluate outcomes after treatment. Early treatment for young children with adequate range of motion (ROM) is generally reassurance because most young children with idiopathic toe walking are expected to resolve spontaneously. When the toe walking persists, treatment options include both surgical and nonsurgical management. Nonsurgical management centers on obtaining ROM through stretching and serial casting, followed by gait retraining and bracing treatment. Surgical lengthening at either the Achilles or gastrocnemius level improves the ROM of the ankle and then similarly requires therapy and bracing treatment to obtain a more normalized gait.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Scores in Pediatric Idiopathic Toe Walkers

BACKGROUND

Idiopathic toe walking (ITW) can result in early contact with the health care system and be distressing for patients and their families. The natural history of ITW is poorly characterized. Deciding how and when to intervene can be difficult.Patient-reported outcomes are utilized in the clinical setting to assess patient factors and indications that may better inform treatment plans. Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) is an instrument designed to collect patient-reported outcomes. Minimum clinically important differences in PROMIS metrics have been established to facilitate clinical relevance and utility of these metrics. The purpose of this study was to characterize the patient perspective of ITW by utilizing the PROMIS scores.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review was performed to identify children aged 5 to 17 with a diagnosis of ITW treated at a single tertiary care center between 2017 and 2020. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of ITW and completion of a PROMIS questionnaire. Exclusion criteria were neurologic disease, autism, and previous surgical treatment. Demographic, physical exam, treatment, and available motion analysis data were collected. PROMIS scores for the following domains were available: Mobility, Peer Relationships, and Pain Interference.

RESULTS

Forty-five children were enrolled. Seventy-three percent of PROMIS scores were patient reported while the remainder were parent reported. PROMIS score means for the cohort by domain were Mobility: 45.2±8.2 ( P <0.000); Peer Relationships: 46.4±11.6 ( P =0.047); and Pain Interference: 47.4±9.5 ( P =0.67). Motion analysis data, available for 11 children, noted age-matched gait velocity negatively correlated ( rs =-0.652, P =0.03) with Peer Relationships. No correlations were found between other aspects of gait, body mass index, or limitations in dorsiflexion and PROMIS domains. Parents reported lower Mobility scores than children did. There were no other significant differences between patient-reported and parent-reported PROMIS scores. PROMIS scores did not differ significantly between those <10 years and those ≥10 years.

CONCLUSION

In this cohort of 45 otherwise healthy children without other neurologic diagnoses, there are both clinically and statistically significant differences in PROMIS means between our cohort and the healthy age-matched population. These differences manifested in worse peer relationships and mobility scores.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

What is New in Pediatric Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle

BACKGROUND

This paper aims to report on the last 5 years of relevant research on pediatric foot and ankle pathology with specific focus on clubfoot, congenital vertical talus, toe walking, tarsal coalitions, pes planovalgus with or without accessory navicular, foot and ankle trauma, and talar dome osteochondritis dessicans.

METHODS

The Browzine platform was used to review the table of contents for all papers published in the following target journals related to the treatment of pediatric foot and ankle conditions. Search results were further refined to include clinical trials and randomized controlled trials published from March 1, 2015 to November 15, 2021.

RESULTS

A total of 73 papers were selected for review based on new findings and significant contributions in treatment of clubfoot, congenital vertical talus, toe walking, tarsal coalitions, pes planovalgus with or without accessory navicular, foot and ankle trauma, and talar dome osteochondritis dessicans. Also included were several papers that did not fit into any of these categories but provided new insight into specific foot and ankle pathologies.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment strategies for children with foot and ankle pathology are continually evolving. We review many of the most recent publications with the goal of improving understanding of these pathologies and highlighting current best practices.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Idiopathic Toe-Walking in Children and Adolescents: Diagnosis, Natural History, and Treatment Options

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Idiopathic toe-walking is a diagnosis of exclusion.

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The natural history of idiopathic toe-walking has not been studied in many children; we identified only 1 prospective study. Of children without equinus contractures who were toe-walking before the age of 5.5 years, 59% had spontaneous resolution of toe-walking by 5.5 years of age, and 79%, by the age of 10 years.

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Adverse consequences of toe-walking into adulthood have not been reported, but may exist, and further research is needed to define and clarify.

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If parents desire treatment to resolve their child's toe-walking, surgical lengthening of the Achilles tendon is the treatment with the highest chance of success and lowest relapse rate, and thus far, no complications have been reported in any surgical series.

Idiopathic Toe-Walking: A Review from 1967 to 2021

Idiopathic toe-walking (ITW) is considered a diagnosis of exclusion for which no underlying neurological, neuromuscular, neurodevelopmental, or orthopedic condition can be identified. The purpose of this review was to examine multiple aspects of ITW: natural history, evaluation, treatment, musculoskeletal manifestations, and developmental issues through the review of studies from the initial description of condition in 1967 to the present. From a PubMed search and review of reference lists of individual articles, 64 articles were selected and reviewed. The studied samples were variably described and often not well-defined. Gait analysis found gait characteristics associated with ITW that varied from normal. Children with ITW can be differentiated from children with cerebral palsy on the basis of several gait pattern features, but findings from electromyographic comparisons were variable. Treatments included orthoses, casting, botulinum toxin type A, and surgery. The evidence to support any specific treatment is limited by the small sample size and short duration of follow-up in the majority of studies. The inadequacy of the current literature suggests the need for a longitudinal multi-center study to more clearly define the population of children with ITW and to determine indications, timing, and effectiveness of the various available treatments.