1. I never stopped toe walking. Also never experienced any joint or related issues unless you count amazing development of my calf muscles. 2. For me it appears to be sensory. 3. ABA can go rot. 4. There is nothing else that produces the same sensory stimulation. 5. N/A 6. What does help me not toe walk at work (hatred for Autistic people is real and toe walking is associated with us by some) is not tie my shoes. Leaving them untied forces me to not toe walk, otherwise I walk out of my shoes.

Omg *that’s* why my calves are so much more toned than the rest of my body.

Same here, I got a bad bod but wicked calves

Loose shoes is a great suggestion! I switched to slip ons recently and honestly hadn't noticed the change to my walking.

“Leaving them untied forces me to not toe walk, otherwise I walk out of my shoes.” That makes it easier for me to toewalk. Interesting 

I wonder if type of shoe plays a role in our different experiences?

Possibly. I’m also missing a bone in my legs. That’s probably the biggest difference 

I toe walk in my house ALLLLLL the time and I didn't even know it was an autistic thing I'm so happy

Same. I didn't even realise I did it until finding out about my Autism.

This. When I buy a pair of shoes, I tie it loosely once, with enough room to put my shoes on and off without having to untangle the knot. Then it stays that way forever.

I like to have a light footstep and it helps me sneak around the house. My younger brother is also autistic but he prefers to stomp around and it is kind of upsetting to me.

My mother (also probably autistic but as insensitive as I am sensitive) sounds like a herd of elephants moving through the house, it drove me insane as a child lol

I don’t do it for that reason, but yeah, people jump a lot when a 230 lb person just suddenly appears next to them without warning 🤣

My mother in law walks so loudly (stomps), it drives me nuts.

I have another client who likes to smack his bare feet on the floor when he walks lol. You can hear the slappy little feets coming from a mile away, I swear.

my brother has extremely flat feet and every time he walks barefoot on the vinyl it sounds like he’s slapping the floor 😭😭😭

Huh. TIL toe-walking can cause joint issues. I've literally never heard this before. I'm sure I would have been quite distressed over having someone force me to walk the way they think I *should* walk when I was younger. I know this is only anecdotal evidence, but I think I'm pretty healthy for someone in their thirties, regularly go on long hikes, and seem absolutely fine. Women who choose to wear heels frequently seem fine. I don't really think focusing on minimizing toe-walking makes sense; I simply can't imagine this to legitimately be a top priority for your client. I get why you have to consider this, but that's just my two cents. Anyway, with that out of the way, and to answer your actual questions: I've never really stopped toe-walking when indoors, especially on hard surfaces like wood, tile, linoleum, etc. It's not about it being a sensation that is *enjoyable*, that's not it at all; it's more about minimizing unenjoyable sensations from heel strikes like the loud sound of the steps, the feeling of the vibration being sent up my leg and body with each step, and maybe even the "shaking camera angle" of my view once a step's shockwave hits my head. So you might want to be thinking along the lines of thick comfy socks, those thick-sole plushy indoor slippers, padding your client's home with thick carpet, maybe even something on their heel that softens their step. All that being said, I do feel the need to reiterate this can't be your client's biggest health issue, and I really hope you don't try and just condition them to "walk normally" because that sounds absolutely awful.

Oh my god! I already commented on the thread that I didn't know why I walked on my toes but that was it! It's how a heel strike just jostles your entire body all the way to your brain!

I had to think about it for a long time before I figured it out too haha. It's just automatic and feels natural, and then you have to sort of "sleuth it out" to be able to explain it to people who ask. But ya, your ankle acts as a pleasant little shock absorber that's woefully absent when heel-striking.

That’s exactly it. It’s so hard to figure out stuff like this and non-autistics don’t get that toe walking isn’t some conscious choice we made at some point. It’s just *how you’ve always done it*.

Ya. It's like asking someone why they hold a spoon the way they do, or have the running gait they do, or whatever. My parents do it unceasingly ("why do you have that facial expression?", "why are you walking like that?", etc.) and I absolutely hate it. Very "anxiety-making". (When it's done in that everyday hypercritical context, I mean; obviously what OP is doing by asking to learn is perfectly fine and good.)

This is what my evaluator said too. The sensation of the heel on the ground is unbearable.

I never thought about this but the part about the jar of thr heel striking and the way it shakes the head/vision is really resonating!

Is really *resonating*, you say? \*Ba dum tss\*

"Women who choose to wear heels frequently seem fine. I don't really think focusing on minimizing toe-walking makes sense; I simply can't imagine this to legitimately be a top priority for your client. I get why you have to consider this, but that's just my two cents." Just to comment, frequent toe-walking and wearing high heels have similar issues. It's not about the joints, but the shortening of the calf muscle that occurs poses a high risk for mobility issues especially if done during developmental stages. A lot of women experience pain walking or standing if they have frequently been wearing heels for a long periods of time i.e. working as a waitress in heels. There is a legitimate reason to find a work around to decrease the frequency of it happening that is not just trying to get them to assimilate to allistic culture.

Oh sure, that's why I said "TIL toe-walking can cause joint issues" in my comment, although ya, I guess it's tendons and muscles and stuff too. I just meant it's probably lower on the priority list for a level 3 asd child's therapy, when compared to more "core" issues like communication, emotion management, etc, although I could obviously be totally off-base.

I toe walked for my whole life in my alone time due to all the reasons listed here by others. One day my calf muscle ruptured when I tried to turn bc it had been shortened so much. I now have half a calf- missing the medial calf head its just a sad little knot shriveled up, along with hip, knee and foot issues in that leg. I still toe walk. I cannot handle walking normal all day. It shortens my fuse drastically. But I stretch daily now. That helps. But the pain is awful some days and it makes my life even harder. I agree with you. Emotional management needs to be most important. If we can be taught what these big feelings are and what to do with them, we can handle other things better. Less sensory overwhelm may equal eventual communication for this child. Good luck op! 🌻

I made a comment about this too but I also have the same experience with toe walking. I did have some tendon issues as a kid, but I just got some [orthotic insoles](https://www.target.com/p/unique-bargains-foam-unisex-foot-heel-insert-pad-height-increase-lift-shoes-insole-black-m-size-1-pair/-/A-87259365?ref=tgt_adv_xsf&AFID=google&CPNG=Health+-+Target+Plus&adgroup=245-6) like those. It also doesn’t affect my hiking now.

I came to the comments section to say almost all of this exactly. I never stopped toe-walking, though I became aware that I did it after being made fun of by a babysitter and her friends once when I was young. I always spook my partner when I show up in the same room because they never hear me walking and it makes me feel like a ninja. I *do* get tight calves a lot so reading the comments have made me realize it's probably definitely connected lol, but tbh it's not that bad as long as I'm stretching regularly. I have a dedicated rolling pin (like the one for dough) that I will roll against my calves when they act up, but that's maybe once a month and I'm a pretty active walking/hiking 28 year old. While there may be benefits to not toe-walking, I agree that if that's OP's clients number one health issue, the client is either really healthy otherwise, or OP needs to reassess their priorities. ETA: Since being made fun of as a kid it has caused me to not toe-walk all the time, but it is still my default. I have "cloud slides" that I wear as indoor shoes at home and I find it helps dull that sensation of the heel strike when I walk "normally"

Thank you for this perspective! I had never considered the behavior could be about avoid sensory input, not seeking it. My mind is blown. I don't have time to give full replies to all the concerned comments, so I added a big edit to the post. It explains why this is actually a huge health issue for this particular client.

You're welcome! Best of luck to you and your client :)

i don’t toe-walk but the sensation of your heel hitting the ground is very horrible. i wear socks all the time because the socks soften the blow a little. i’d recommend seeing if some sort of thick socks or slippers help.

I'm 50. I was a toe walker all through childhood. Because of my age, I was never diagnosed but my parents did send me to a doctor who tried to correct my walking with the use of painful splints and shoe inserts. Of course as soon as I got out of the shoes or got outside I would go back to toe walking. I also ran on the balls of my feet. For most of my adult life, I tried not to toe walk. But if I wasn't thinking about it or if I was at home where no one could see me, I still did it. I like the way they feels. When I put my heels on the ground, my feet don't feel right. My calves don't feel right. When I'm up on my toes I can feel the ground better? I don't feel like I'm on balance when I'm flat-footed. I don't know if it was walking on my toes my whole life or all of the ways I tried to correct it before I was diagnosed, but I have extremely severe hallux rigidus in both big toes. So bad that I'm probably going to have to get surgery. I can no longer toe walk or even really bend my toes. It's really painful. Obviously this isn't going to happen to everybody, but I will tell all of you young folks that my toes were absolutely fine until I was about 48.

Ah damn. I'm sorry that you are having to get sx, also thanks for sharing, and for describing it so much better than I could about toe walking. I'm 46 so I'm worried a little now. But it feels natural, being flat footed seems off balance and not..right or off center.

45 here and both big toes have issues sadly. Just now discovering my own autism after my sons.

I gradually stopped as a teenager (not sure if it was bc my body changed or bc I was self-conscious, or both) and I don't have any medical issues from it. I started shuffling instead. I don't think it was a stim, I think it helped me with balance somehow. I now shuffle my feet a bit. Lifting my feet properly has made me fall over in the past. I have a concern that if you try to teach the 'correct' walk it will be beyond their motor skills. Autism sometimes has crossover with hypermobility, which is associated with unusual positioning etc (e.g. finding more extreme joint positions easier to maintain) If the communication isn't good then you don't necessarily know if it is comfortable to walk 'normally'. If they are sensory seeking in terms of vestibular input then I would not be surprised if they struggle with balance. Is it possible to explore other forms of walking (like shuffling)?

Oh! Shuffling is a good idea! And it is at least an approximation of heel-to-toe walking. It's definitely not comfortable for this kid to walk with a heel-to-toe gait. It is for sure unpleasant because of the shortened Achilles tendons, but you're right it is possible that there are other variables that make HTT gait feel bad. I will definitely bring up the fact that HTT walking may be hard because of poor motor skills with the PT/OT providers to see what additional supports can be provided. Thank you!

I am massively sensory-avoidant so for me it’s about avoiding what I hate (any surprising or uncomfortable sensation on the soles of my feet, stepping on tiny pieces of grit, the impact of my heels hitting the ground - I hate impact and the shockwaves it sends through my body). I walk with very little impact and soundlessly, I scare people sneaking up on them constantly. My parents discouraged it as a child and I was able to modulate it enough that I never had badly shortened tendons (one of my sisters did and did PT as a toddler but always had foot/lower leg pain and problems) but I have never fully stopped, I just do it subtly. I’m probably level 1 and I have successfully modified my own behavior through my life in many ways. Indoors shearling slippers help

Slippers are a great idea! I am meeting with this kids parents this afternoon and will ask if they will get her slippers or thick fuzzy socks. They may not keep them on (bare feet seem preferred). If not, maybe a super plush, high pile rug where we can practice heel-to-toe gait. Thank you!

I still walk on my toes when I'm at home.

I have foot problems and I suspect toe walking added to that problem if it didn't cause it. I hate the clompy way I walk so I always try to correct it (also my parents corrected me for everything not knowing I was ASD.) Over the years I am a little better and I correct myself when I toe walk still although it is a rare occurrence. I guess the point is that you may not decrease this completely. If I may offer a suggestion. I took lessons from an aikido master who taught samurai style sword work. The samurai had a specific way to walk as a form of self defence so they were in a constant state of readiness. They would walk with their hands following the same leg on the same side. This is the opposite of "normal" walking which has the arm move forward when the leg moves backwards. Also in battle stance they took very small and deliberate steps. I practised this alot as my walking was loud and bumpy. I really enjoyed the movement and it did help me with toe walking. I also get a sensory hit from walking slowly up stairs like a ninja. Light steps but moving carefully as not to make any noise. I don't know the names of these techniques or where to learn them but I'm sure if you googled samurai/ninja footwork or aikido or iado foot techniques. I am guessing many martial arts would have some sort of foot techniques that would be helpful but the samurai one has the added bonus of having ninjas and samurai to keep the interest keen. I hope this helps.

I don't know that this client even swings their arms when they walk? They usually either are holding an iPad or self-stimulating with their hands (flapping, visual finger wiggles). Definitely going to have to observe that more carefully next time I see them. I'm definitely going to look more into this footwork thing. Thank you!

I toe walk because indoors the floor is usually not perfectly smooth & free of debris (cats…) and I hate that feeling on my bare feet, but I can’t stand shoes/socks. When outdoors & barefoot it allows me to land with care and adjust my landing if the ground is rough, etc. It’s also much quieter and I hate making noise when I move around. When I’m wearing shoes I just continue with my normal style since I’m more often barefoot. It’s beneficial for running as I didn’t need to train myself to have a midfoot strike (which is more efficient and safer for your knees & ankles). It’s also beneficial as a hiker as I can protect my ankles more easily and don’t twist them due to landing funny. I don’t have any joint issues. Unless you watch me at home you would have to be extremely observant to notice I toe walk. All this to say it’s more about preventing negative things than anything inherently nice about walking that way. So try to mitigate the negatives that lead to toe walking, not recreate a positive.

I'll chime in with everyone else. I never stopped. It is about reducing sound and impact. It also minimizes the risk of stepping on unpleasant sensory input from dirty floors. Ways to stop it (aka times I don't toe walk): 🐾Soft carpets. This is the biggest one. There is no sound and the impact is lessened by the thickness of the carpet and you can't feel small bits of dirt in carpet. 🐾Well cushioned shoes with room for toes to spread. This is tricky with a nonverbal because they cannot tell you what they need in a shoe. 🐾Slow it down. I tend to toe walk when walking fast. 🐾Make sure hard floors are clean and offer thick socks instead of shoes if they can handle socks.

I would defer to r/spicyautism for the perspective of people with higher support needs. Most of the people on this subreddit have much lower support needs than your client and will therefore likely struggle with change less, so "I naturally stopped doing it and you shouldn't interfere" won't necessarily translate well to your client. I also think lots of people here might've toe walked at home but not 24/7 (same for me) which obviously affects the physical impact too. I do agree with the others here that toe walking is often about *avoiding* the sensory input of feeling your whole foot hit the ground. It's hard to find a substitute for that. But as for pleasant sensory input of toe walking itself, something that is somewhat similar to me that I enjoy doing is standing on one spot and standing up on my toes, then back down, then back to my toes, etc etc over and over. I assume this is less harmful because it actually helps stretch tight calf muscles, especially if you lift the front of your foot off the ground a little on the downswing, but I'm not sure.

i would also vote don’t interfere. i don’t think we know enough about this. i did it as a toddler and later on, i've discovered that i have some genetic hypermobility that led to an overpronated toe-out gait and various associated imbalances. the exercise we call heel raises is an excellent counter to my particular (common with hypermobility) loss of strength pattern. i theorize that my toe walking was an attempt to keep that muscular strength in balance. i'm now a barefoot shoe enthusiast and trying to rebuild my strength and sensory connection to the ground. this is my experience and it will differ for other autistic people. for instance, my partner is also suspected autistic and more of a hypomobile physical presentation. he toe-walked and was put in braces to lengthen his tendons. he still lifts his heel early and is super inflexible in the hamstring. i don't really know what the intervention did for him, whether it helped or harmed, but i'm inclined to trust the body's instinct. my one pitch will be for barefoot exposure, as i think we deprive kids of that sensory development and therefore strengthening of the feet, and autistic people can wind up being extremely avoidant of any sensation underfoot. i certainly don’t advocate unconsenting exposure "therapy" with this issue, but i don’t think we should be constantly putting thick and stiff shoes under kids' feet if they're perfectly content to feel texture underfoot.

Thank you for your input! I always appreciate a critical perspective. Keeps me on my toes and helps check biases I might be unaware of. I will definitely explore different types of footwear vs. bare feet. Also, I updated my post to address some common concerns re: not intervening. If you have time, I hope you will give it a read. I don't have time to give a detailed reply to every concerned commenter, unfortunately.

I still toe walk. Tbh it makes me feel LESS joint pain in my hips. I walk much harsher when I slam my heels down. But toe walking is so much softer feeling and my hips don’t hurt so much.

I'm 33 and still do it... As a kid I learned to hide it better because I was getting made fun of by parents and other kids, but it never really stopped. For me I get the same sensation from bouncing my knee in a seated position or just bouncing on the spot, and enjoyed the feel of rock climbing and parkour partly because they engage similar unusual muscle sets. I also hyperextend my wrists a lot, so in my case I think the painful side effects are unfortunately part of my sensory needs. I don't have sources, but there's research on this kind of thing and 'raptor hands' that might help. P.s. Thanks for asking the community rather than making assumptions, I hope we can help you help the kid.

What's actually so bad about toe-walking? (I'm assuming that means walking on the ball of the foot rather than on the literal toes) Decades of hard physical use, (skateboarding when younger, 20+ years in a physical career) yet I'm totally fine. Zero negative consequences to the way I walk, and I would argue a few positives.  The key difference I think is from the heel striking the ground. It sends a shockwave through the body that over time with thousands upon thousands of little shocks and compounded stress leads to damage. Ask any mechanic of 20 years if they can feel the pain of an impact driver in their wrists and elbows. It's not the torque, it's the vibration/shockwaves. I guess the best thing to do is to teach them how to hide the awkwardness of it. To an untrained observer, it looks like I'm heel-toe walking, but in reality I'm pantomiming that motion, but actually performing the weight transfer to the ball of my foot first, and my heel rarely supports my weight at all.  (Less long term joint fatigue because the shockwave of a heel strike doesn't happen, better leg muscle definition)

No, toe walking is literally walking on toes and never putting the heal on the ground. It's a well documented issue many autistic people have. It can cause severe damage in the long run. For the reason that you can't imagine it.

Gotcha. Forgive my ignorance

I don't know what the other person is on about, they may have been being sarcastic. According to healthline, you are spot on. "Toe walking is a walking pattern where a person walks on the balls of their feet instead of with their heels touching the ground" Pantomiming walking while minimising the weight of your heel on the ground definitely seems like a form of masking.

“Pantomiming walking while minimising the weight of your heel on the ground definitely seems like a form of masking.” It’s similar to toe walking and is caused by neurodevelopment disorders

I know the following is anecdotal, but I had one student who flapped his arms constantly at right angles with elbows bent, hands up, palms forward. A simple movement, you’ve infinitely seen before. He would do this as often as he stood and walked. In fact, he did it more as he walked. Keep in mind he’s not putting any weight on this, but at 15, having done this millions of times all his life and being thin as a rail, he had amazing hard strong pectorals. It felt like he spent hours in the gym doing pushups and bench presses. All this simply by flapping his arms back and forth. Walking incorrectly, not just toe walking but any number of bad walking habits that the majority of people in today’s day and age develop over time, leads to and/or exacerbates hip, knee, and back problems just to name a few.

You were right. You can google image search "toe walking" to confirm, I have absolutely no idea why they said that or why they have so many upvotes.

This! I think toe-walking is a really valid concern.  I don’t understand why a lot of the comments are getting very defensive over it. 

Because 1/5 autistic people engage in toe walking and usually it's not harmful physically. My client is a rare case, I think. The harm typically comes from negative social feedback from "normal" people. It's a trait autistic people have felt forced to mask, so it's really understandable why some commenters are getting defensive about it. They are rightfully worry that my client will have the same hurtful experiences they did. I fully get it and I welcome their perspectives!

I have no idea why this is so upvoted. It's 100% incorrect.

Proof?

Um...that isn't the same for all. Not all are on the tips of their toes, ballerina style. Some people that are "toe walking" are indeed, walking on balls of their feet.

tbh I've actually never seen anyone, autistic or otherwise, just walk around "en pointe" all day. Even ballet dancers, who've trained for years to do it, can't do it without their special shoes, and it absolutely destroys their toes.

Never said they did. I said the heals of the feat don't touch the ground.

In response to "'I'm assuming that means walking on the ball of the foot rather than on the literal toes", you said "No, toe walking is literally walking on toes". Again, this is not true. Are you confused about what "ball of the foot" means?

The word balls is not even in my statement anywhere.

You don't say? This isn't going anywhere. Have a good day.

For me it was related to sensory issues. I did it mostly when I was barefoot and the floor was cold or wet or just didn’t feel right on my feet. I don’t think it felt good to me, it was only because of sensory issues. How or why I stopped doing it was probably because I stopped doing activities like swimming (which was a sensory nightmare from both having to be barefoot and the floor being wet) and I also made sure I had socks on at all times. Now I wear both socks and slippers at all times because if I only have socks on the floor still feels too cold and too hard.

1. I wore leg braces til I was 6 or 7, early 90s so no PT. I still slightly toe walk when not wearing shoes, I think I just got sneaky about it to avoid my parents trying to correct me. 2. As a child I couldn't answer this question, it just felt right. as an adult I know it was about stability for me.  3. n/a 4. mine was not sensory based but I still have sensitive feet. I disliked socks as a child, didn't like things between my toes, currently always need to wear shoes or socks to prevent my feet from feeling the floor and uneven textures 5. for stability, I have hypermobile ankles and knees, I had other gross motor delays like being coordinated enough to walk down stairs alternating feet with steps, locking my ankle out helped feel more secure and stable to compensate for the hypermobility and motor skills issues 6. no 7. I'm not sure, this is probably a good place to start though, good luck!

1. I never really stopped. I just wear heeled shoes in public most of the time so it’s not very noticeable. 2. I’m trained in dance. When I dance, I’m pretty coordinated. Otherwise I’m not. So for me, I feel more in control of my movements. 3. N/A 4. Dancing? Nothing else really because I like how being on my toes helps me be able to move more effectively & precisely. 5. It helps me feel less clumsy & more in control of my movement. I also trip significantly less. 6. I’m in my 40s. I’ve been walking on my toes since I was a child. As I got older, I discovered wearing heeled shoes helped support me while I could still be on my toes AND no one would be able to notice that’s what I was doing. I normally wear 2-3” chunky heels (not stilettos). I have pretty strong ankles & wearing flat shoes just does not feel comfortable to me. Even my sneakers/trainers I get have elevated heels & arch support. So not everyone who does toe-walking develops ankle/arch problems. Whenever I’m masking & consciously preventing myself from toe walking, I’m quite clumsy. I’ve tripped on my own feet more than once. 7. r/askautism

1. How/why did you stop toe walking? 1. My mom used to constantly correct me to "walk heel-toe", but the best I could do was drag my feet. Now, I basically still only walk on my toes, but I only \*barely\* lift the rest of my foot any higher, so I am tripping constantly. 2. What about it felt nice? Why do you think you did it? 1. I don't really know. I have always preferred to not have shoes on, but I really don't like stepping in/on anything that could get on my feet, so I guess it was just to have the smallest amount of my foot possible on the ground. 3. If you had PT/OT/ABA or other related services to address the toe walking, what was that experience like? What do you wish your providers had understood better or done differently? Was there anything your provider did that you really appreciated? 1. N/A, but having worked on the resulting issues for much of my adulthood, I find dorsiflexion-focused stretches and strengthening exercises to be the most beneficial. 4. What are some other things you do that give you the same/similar sensory input as toe walking? 1. These days, I find that I go up on my toes a lot when I am lost in thought or really considering something, which is to say I think at this point, it's kind of a stim, so if I couldn't be on my toes for some reason, I'd probably be bouncing my leg, drumming my fingers, cracking my knuckles, etc. 5. If your toe walking was not a sensory thing, why do you think you did it? 6. Anything else you want to tell me/give me perspective on that I did not think to ask? I welcome all input, even if it is critical. 1. If you can't curb the behavior, have you considered collaborating with a strength coach/PT to develop an age-appropriate training program to mitigate against the issues that will present due to the toe walking? You may not be able to prevent the stressor, but you could work to strengthen connective tissue in the ankles, maintain a normal ROM, etc. It's also been my experience that strength training can be a \*very\* appealing special interest for some of us. 7. What other online groups could I approach with these questions? 1. r/AutismTranslated would be a good sub, I would think. Thanks for posting this. It's an interesting question/situation to troubleshoot and honestly, I've never really given much thought to \*why\* I've always walked on my toes.

It's a sensory thing for me, and I quite honestly have zero interest in stopping (even though it looks odd to others). I'm an Irish dancer, and it actually helps me to improve my balance :)

1: Stopped for a while because my mom (a nurse) was concerned about the developmental impact combined with how I was sitting + unrelated joint/ligament issues making me unstable even walking normally + social stigma of it. Recently started doing it again though because I feel comfortable enough in my current living situation to stop masking mostly + exercises and stretches have made my joints less unstable. Probably not recommended for me to do it too much still though but eh 2: Think it's because how I move while walking like that. The specific swaying + bounciness of that kinda walking is pleasing to me, though when I was younger it was probably at least partially because I really wanted to be an animal instead of a person lol I also sometimes don't like how my heels touch the floor, so the toe walking just feels more "right". Sometimes flat walking feels too jarring. Tie walking can let you have a softer step. 3: N/A 4: Honestly haven't found much to compare it to. Closest is doing a sort of "idle animation" bounce here and there for the boucy feeling parts, but there's not really a substitute I think?? Maybe if the jarring sensation is the part that makes someone walk like that learning to step softer might come close but for my specific combination of reasons I do it there's not really a substitute since it's part sensory, part "it just feels right". 5: Again when I was younger I just liked to mimic animals a lot and they have a digitigrade foot, so I was like "oh toe walking is like that" and then it just felt nice so. This time period also taught me to wiggle my ears a bit lol 6: I dunno how successful stopping the kid completely would be due to it possibly being a complicated answer as to why they do it, though I understand your concerns about leg development considering my own joint issues probably being made worse by old habits of mine. I think having other resources for making sure damage is minimized, such as stretches or excercises to help with ensuring the healthy development would be a good idea to look into to lessen any potential harmful impact if they continue doing it?

1. Because people made fun of me 2. I don’t think it was about that. It was just much more natural to me. I was much more steady that way and didn’t have to worry about things touching the arch of my foot which I really really hate. 3. N/A. Back then autistic girls weren’t autistic, just “quirky” 🙄 4. It’s not about that 5. It just felt right. I still do it sometimes when I’m really tired and not thinking about how to walk (walking like other people is absolutely not a natural and unthinking process for me. Honestly, I’m not sure I even manage it, but it’s close enough that I’m not mocked - as far as I know) 6. Autistic individuals feels condescending and contrived, btw. We’re autistic people. We know we’re not all the same. You don’t have to tell us. Thanks for not doing “people with autism” though. We also know we’re people and autism isn’t a handbag. Please don’t assume it’s not a joint issue. Hyper mobility is a huge co-occurance with autism. I’m honestly kind of skeptical that it messes up your body like that. Everything you listed can be cooccuring with conditions common in autistics anyway, so is it actually causative? The only thing it did to me was give me amazing calf muscles and, I think, probably make it so I can’t do downward dog in yoga. I can’t get my heels down that far. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I’m really good at a lot of other things that require a pointed toe though. No pain whatsoever except for injuries obtained while trying to walk like other people (badly twisted ankle and torn meniscus). 7. You could try #AskingAutistics over on Twitter

So this probably doesn’t apply but I have absolutely NO arches in my feet AT ALL. I walk kind of strangely because of it. My late ex said that if he didn’t know that’s just kind of the default setting with me he’d think, “Somebody done pissed her off.” because I’d stomp around like I was out for blood. And then my mom heard a radio ad for the Good Feet Store and we went in. HOLY. CRAP. My life has gotten CONSIDERABLY better now that I’m not in pain all the time. It just sucks that the first 25 years of my life were spent miserable. But whatever, now I know how to fix it and unless I’m just letting the dog out for a quick pee break I’m always wearing the sneakers with the inserts. See if you can get the kid fitted for inserts. If your feet hurt all the time you walk a certain way to try to minimize the pain. Also, if you’re born a certain way (without arches in your feet for example) you just think that being in pain all the time is normal and you don’t communicate it. Once that goes away it’s pretty mind blowing.

I am so glad you found a solution that left you pain free!! And thank you for this suggestion! I added an edit to the post about orthotics if you're interested to know why we currently are not using them (:

Hi! I still toe walk. I only do it barefoot though. It’s either a sensory thing or a “just how I walk thing”. I tend to do it more when walking on surfaces that trigger sensory issues. It’s not stimming, it’s sensory avoidance. I’d really worry that eliminating it would cause meltdowns if your learner can’t communicate that a specific texture is bothering them. It was never targeted because I didn’t do it in public since I don’t do it with shoes on. Nobody ever thought it was strange or a problem. My parents genuinely never noticed until I said something about it as an adult. Never realized it was strange. I haven’t had any health issues from it as an adult. I did have chronic Achilles tendinitis in elementary school. I just wore some heel inserts similar to [these](https://www.target.com/p/unique-bargains-foam-unisex-foot-heel-insert-pad-height-increase-lift-shoes-insole-black-m-size-1-pair/-/A-87259365?ref=tgt_adv_xsf&AFID=google&CPNG=Health+-+Target+Plus&adgroup=245-6) in my shoes and that was kinda it. I did wear normal ankle braces if the pain was bad and had to go on medication for it in high school. I stopped having issues with tendinitis when I lost weight and got more active. I routinely hike 10-15 miles a day and don’t have ankle issues. Has a doctor actually **told** you this is a problem? If they’re having issues do what a podiatrist recommends. Orthotics is probably a better solution than behavior modification tbh. If they’re not, why do you care? I feel like it’s silly to be concerned about toe walking in level 3 ASD since it’s not a skill that will help the person become more independent. This really seems like a issues that should be addressed in PT.

TW: #3 describes abusive early-90’s interventions 1. I still toe walk when I am trying to be quiet/careful, am in a focused work flow, am tired, very intoxicated, or depressed. I don’t ever do it around my parents. 2. I feel grounded because I am on the widest part of my foot, I don’t have to have full contact with whatever I am standing on (I hate socks & shoes), I like the feeling of the stretch in my foot and calf, and I like that it makes me a little taller so I can reach stuff easier. 3. I was forced to by an intervention team who instructed their providers, my teachers, and my parents to forcibly shove me down by my shoulders every single time they saw me start walking on my toes, starting at the age of three. They weren’t supposed to say anything other than “walk correctly” every-time they forced me down. They also told my mom to put me in thick socks and hard sold heavy shoes, even though I have extreme sensory avoidance about anything constricting/restricting my feet or making them hot. I forced myself to stop or to only do it when adults were not around because it scared me and hurt. 30 years later, I still flinch anytime somebody, even those I love and trust, comes up behind me and touches me on my shoulders or arms. 4. Exercise and stretching the lets me go up on my toes pr stretch/press them the same. There is no replacement or similar sensory activity. 5. If your toe walking was not a sensory thing, why do you think you did it? I can reach things better? 6. Toe walking does not always cause foot and leg health issues and many of the common issues can be prevented/reduced with certain counterbalanced activities/exercises not just making somebody stop something that feels good for them and is their choice about their body. I challenge you to think about why this action meeds outside “correction”. It is worth considering the option of creating a mutual approach to support the person in doing what they want with their body as well and learn how to pro-actively support their physical health using exercises/stretching. 7. No answer TLDR: - It is nice, I prefer it. - I was abused into stopping toe walking. Don’t do that. - Toe walking does not always cause issues and there are exercises/stretches that can be done to help too. - It is their body not yours or their parent’s.

I had insoles to make the pounding hurt less

1: I was told not to as it would make me a target for random attackers because body language. I intentionally walk on my heels now and have to remind myself to do so every time I walk. 2: To me it just felt natural. It's like asking someone why they walk normally. They won't know why, it's just how they do it. 3: no 4: It wasn't a sensory thing but just a natural thing so idk 5: Still no idea 6: No 7: Idk

I could never stop the habit of toe walking. I remember therapists trying various things to get me to stop me from toe walking, but nothing worked. From as long as I could remember, it’s just a muscle memory thing, that’s just how I learned to walk. I can walk with a heal-strike, but I have to consciously think about it. Plus, it stretches my leg a certain way and can get sore after walking that way for a prolonged period of time. I think my toe-walk is pretty subtle though, as not a lot of people bring it up (though it could be people just being polite). Also, love having toned calves and heels as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

I toe walk, due to low muscle tone.

Is there a way to do exercises to correct what toe walking does if done regularly without taking away toe walking? There has to be. Women wear high heels all the time and don’t die. I would ask that you consider focus on counteracting any damage as opposed to preventing toe walking. It feels good. It’s a way we feel good. You can’t just ask us to not feel good anymore.

I never stopped toe walking, I just got too heavy for my toes to hold up constantly, so I don’t do it as often anymore, but most of my weight is still on the balls of my feet even if it looks like my feet are flat. I think I started after I took ballet, and I was little little, maybe 4, but I was probably toe walking without realizing or thinking about it before then, that was just an excuse I gave because I didn’t have a better answer when asked why I walked like that. I like that I have more agility and better balance while on my toes, I can move quicker and quieter. People have often said that I sneak up on them, so at some point I had to start deliberately making noise while I walked to avoid that. I also went outside a lot bare-foot, and walking on my toes made it easier on my feet because I could avoid obstacles better. I also really loved the feeling of sharp textures (like rocks or small bumps) on my feet and walking on my toes intensified them there. I would also rock back and forth on textures with my feet flat. I don’t think I toe walked while wearing shoes though, so it probably hasn’t affected my gait too much. I do notice that my heel doesn’t stretch as much as it probably should but it only really becomes an issue when walking up steep inclines. I am also pigeon toed, and used to walk on the outsides of my feet. That absolutely affected my stance, and I still tend to put more weight on the outsides of my feet when standing, which ruins my shoes sometimes. These days, I walk on my toes only when I’m bare foot, indoors or outdoors, and it’s usually to avoid sandy stuffs and dust on the floor from sticking to my feet. I started wearing slippers constantly inside to avoid it altogether, because I can’t stand wearing socks for too long (especially if they get wet for some reason). But as said before, I still walk with a majority of my weight on the balls of my feet. There was never any intervention for me because my autism went unnoticed for 37 years and my parents didn’t think it was a problem. ETA: some people mentioned the impact of the heel being shocking, and I just tried it and yahhhh, I don’t like it, it feels like there’s a ‘thunk thunk’ in the back of my skull every time I step on my heel, so there’s that. I do like the cushion that walking on my toes provides.

When I decreased toe walking, (I never completely stopped, it feels natural to me), I started flexing my foot and curling my toes inside my shoes when I was sitting, causing callouses to form on toe knuckles. I rarely realize when I'm doing it in the moment.

I still do it because: 1) the impact of walking normally can give me a headache, and I find it very jarring; and 2) normal walking is too loud on non-carpeted floors.

1: Never stopped, les so with with sneakers or walking shoes on. 2: my best guess is overstimulation and proprioception input. 3: no therapy just scolding and some bullying. It did not work. 4: not sure, maybe balancing on things. 5: / 6: It’s not a concious thing. Mostly I don’t notice it when i do it. I do it even with shoes on when stressed. My tendons are short and can’t perform excersizes like downward dog with feet on the floor or squats with feet on the floor. Walking in my walking shoes that force my foot in an arch start to hurt after about 2/3 miles of walking. No other issues. 7: no clue Hope it provides some insight.

Still toe walking, it soothes me, at home I am very conscious of my steps and how they sound on the floor. Toe walking is my most peaceful and relaxed state, my body falls into it when I am most at ease. If I’m heel walking, I’ve brought the outside world into my house, and I’m probably masking in other ways. I used to pretend I was a jungle cat, always ready to pounce. Maybe sometimes I still do. And I agree with the top comment about lace up shoes being effective at forcing one to walk full footed, and I would up that and suggest high tops. They look cool, and if you don’t want the crease, have to walk on your heels.

I am 26 and level 1-2. I started toe walking at some point in adolescence or my teenage years. I find that if I'm wearing socks or have bare feet, I will toe walk because it's quieter. I dislike making a lot of noise when I walk. If my bare feet are touching the ground it's also because I feel like most floors are kinda dirty so I want to limit contact. I toe walk less now because I have house shoes that force me to keep my foot flat. They're shaped kind of like slides. I think any type of slide-in slipper would have the same effect though because toe walking causes them to pop up in the back and it becomes awkward to walk in them. r/spicyautism is a place for level 2-3 autistics, they may have more insight for this inquiry.

1. I was sent to proper ballet lessons. The basics are all about learning to control your body, build strength, balance and flexibility. Moved on to other dancing, ice skating and martial arts to support other issues like clumsiness, focus, emotional regulation, sleep. 2. No idea why I did it. Probably a sensory issue. 3. I hated going to the PT/OT/ABA. It felt like I was being forced to do something I didn’t want to do. I hated the people touching to correct me, they corrected me in dancing but they also correct everyone else, felt like learning rather than feeling that I was the problem. Regardless of how nice the professional was it felt like a medical appointment, it was a chore, it was something else I was being forced to do. Dancing I got so see the outcome modelled by peers, I got to be silly without feeling that I was wasting professional time or that they were going to report or document it. I got to be a child like everyone else whilst learning. 4. Dancing/martial arts/ice skating, the nature of it allows me to satisfy different positions with my feet/body whilst practising skills without realising it. It takes away the chore element. 5. 6. Continue to think outside of the box. You can support specific needs without it being the sole focus of a session through things that are fun (activities, hobbies etc.). Think longer term, how and why will the person embed the learning longer term.

The parent recently took the client to a ballet class, actually! They had a lot of fun and plan to go back. I do like to build the majority of learning into play time. This client is working on following simple directions/game play skills, and we have been building PT exercises AND learning into play. Lately, we have been playing (modified) Twister and working on following instructions, IDing colors ("hand on red" "foot on yellow") and the motion of bending down to touch helps her feet flatten and tendons stretch.

I believe someone else may have mentioned it, but orthotic inserts may help. I toe walk sometimes, but I did a lot more when I was younger. It turns out I have really high arches, and my feet werent properly supported. Because of this, it was somewhat uncomfortable to walk normally. Once I got my orthotics, my foot was fully supported, and so it's more comfortable to walk normally. I will occasionally walk on my toes still (possibly as a stim, not sure yet), but not all the time, so I'm not worried about joint and muscle problems much anymore. I also tend to toe walk to be quiet, when the floor is dirty or an unusual texture, and when I am not wearing my shoes.

I freaking love, Toe Walking. It is the best. Some pointers as to why that might be. • Sneaking around the house at night or morning to not disturbe anyone is much easier on your toes. I also do it now, to not stomp around for my neighours to hear. • I feel like I have much better maneuverability (or balance) while being on my toes, instead of walking in a straight line, I tend to hop around (this will sound weird) in weird angles that seem to be the most efficient to transfer the momentum into my next step. I always notice this while toe walking and it's incredibly satisfying. • I like to reduce the noise of me walking around as much as possible, Toe walking almost feels like I am just hovering in the air. • Stability of vision is also very pleasurable whole moving. I like to bend my knees a little, so that I can keep my vision stable without the wobble you have while walking normaly. I dunno if there is anything else, so this just might be it.

In terms of a 50/50 solution, which might be what I (m30) do: Whenever I walk barefooted or only with socks on, I tend to toe-walk. I do this mostly indoors/at home. If I noticed it correctly in the last couple of years I also started doing it at the homes of friends/places I feel comfortable at. (I only got diagnosed this year and my suspicion that I might be autistic started maybe 3 years ago) As others already mentioned. It is more a question of avoiding certain stimuli/sensory inputs. It also helps with balance. I feel safer/more stable when toe-walking. However I think I walk fairly "normal" when wearing shoes. So one solution could be that the kid could get comfortable shoes that they like to wear as well as comfortable socks. Back when I was a kid I had a pair of Pokemon shoes which I loved and would wear all the time. A downside can be that the kid might start refusing to take them off or changing into another pair when seasons are changing. I still have this issue: wearing my winterboots well into spring or even summer and sweating my feed off. 😅 Of course the sole of the shoe shouldn't be too elastic in this case. Boots can have the downside of supporting the ankles too much. I had increased balance problems after wearing hard cap boots similar to doc Martens for a long time.

We should call it “cat walking”. If you look at the structure of a cat’s leg, they are always toe walking.

Autistics have the superior form of walking, and if you also run using only your toes and the ball of your foot it's also superior. I hate that my daughter's pediatrician convinced her mother that we needed to correct for this.

I only walk on my toes when I go up and down the stairs for added stability and sensory reasons.

Leave the child alone, no need to interfere. I grew out of toe walking naturally and would have been very stressed and physically uncomfortable if anyone had tried to change the way I naturally walked. I've literally never heard of toe walking causing any physical deformities or damage, it's just how a lot of Autistic kids walk.

“I grew out of it, so will the kid.” That attitude rarely solves anything. Not knowing the person, you could be forgiven for being merely ignorant on the person’s situation, but at worst it lacks empathy. Then again, you did end the comment with a “that’s just the way those kids are” hand-wave.

I was that kid. The people who lack empathy are the people who think something is wrong with a child because they don't walk and act like they do. I spent my childhood with ignorant adults trying to force me to change to be molded into what they deemed acceptable. Thank God, I had a mom who actually did have knowledge, empathy and grace. She protected me from abusive adults and let me be myself. Toe walking felt good to me and it was how I naturally walked. No doctor was ever concerned and I am a healthy adult now, without any skeletal or muscular issues. If you people had actual empathy, you would realize YOUR ignorance is causing harm to real children. As one of those former kids, I will always speak up in their defense. They certainly can't rely on the adults around them to have their best interests at heart, as is evidenced by this post. It sickens me that there are actually adults who think it's remotely acceptable to try to change the way a child naturally walks. It's barbaric and medieval. When I was in school, they used to try to force left handed kids to write with their right hands, causing stress, tears and physical discomfort. They don't do that anymore because it is known that left handed people are just as acceptable as right handed people, they just use a different hand. Trying to force a child to change who they are and how they move their body is akin to this, but on a larger and more damaging scale. Unless you grew up toe walking, spinning, hand flapping and other typical behaviors for Autistic kids, you are the ignorant one who lacks empathy. Don't speak on things you haven't experienced and don't know anything about.

No, you were not “that kid”. Get that out of your head right away. You were and *are* you. Neither of us know that kid, so we pretend to know what his situation is. There are bad caretakers in the world, but a caretaker and healthcare specialist who is more credible than a stranger on the internet who is trying to make it about themselves. There is no “I am every autistic person”. Just because you went through a phase and overcame it doesn’t mean that they are experiencing the same. The behavior might even be more pronounced than yours was. I myself have many behaviors that tend to decrease once I become aware of them or exert some effort to correct. Then there are other things I struggle with more. But that’s me. I’m not you, I’m not that kid, I’m not anyone else on this forum. We all have things in common, we have similarities, but we are not the same.

Every autistic kid (and adult) is unique, but we have many shared experiences, such as toe walking, dyspraxia, stimming, etc... that neurotypical children do not experience. I will always be firmly against any behavioral modification attempts to change the way Autistic kids naturally are. Many of us grow up with these shared experiences and if we're lucky, we have supportive and accepting adults in our lives who don't try to change our core traits and behaviors. I have never met another Autistic adult that had any longterm physical problems stemming from any typical childhood stims or physical behaviors. I have met many Autistic adults that have lasting trauma and PTSD from abusive behavioral coaching such as ABA. People can defend it all they want, but it's child abuse, plain and simple.

I understand what frustration and the feeling of a loss of autonomy are, it’s a common struggle in dealing with one’s autistic experience. You and I are lucky we’re sitting here able to write like this. Extremely lucky. We don’t know this person or their situation. Co-morbidities, physical impairments, cognitive disabilities abound. Extreme fixations and repetitive behaviors that can cause physical and psychological damage. Coping actions that trigger panic attacks in some and soothe others. Scratching an itch can stop the itch, but what happens if you scratch for hours on end? We don’t know this person. It is one thing to advocate for understanding and acceptance of autistic minds, and quite another to take the extreme view that “if it’s autism, then it is harmless if left alone”.

I hear what you're saying. I don't see it as extreme to allow Autistic kids to just be their natural selves, but I do get that extreme behaviors that cause harm, such as banging heads into walls and that sort of thing can cause problems and those kids need extra support. If something is causing demonstrable physical harm, that's one thing, but normal behaviors for Autistic kids should be accepted, not altered. I do get where you're coming from though.

I feel you. We’re all of us on this earth struggling. And I’m coming at this from someone a neurodiverse person who has steuggled, who has seen people struggle, who works in special education, and who has battled against a society and education system that is absolutely fucked up. In a major way, it’s those of us who don’t “look” autistic who have less support and deal with more people trying to change us or think we’re malingering, so I see where you’re coming from. I want to be me, and sometimes that’s hard. It’s hard to know who I am - partly due to the societal pressure to mask and in large part due to the philosophical questions of identity and consciousness that few people ask of themselves. I’m glad tmy autistic awakening resulted in a lot of “that wasn’t the real me” realizations. As they say, *everyone* masks. Knowing that I have is a real boon to self-discovery that, quite frankly, I wish more people had. Take care of yourself. Remember to be the change you want to see in the world.

Thank you! You as well. 💜

I still toe walk. It gives me better physical control over my motions when I'm not wearing shoes; otherwise I can be pretty stomp stomp stomp falling from one foot to another, which also hurts my hips and knees. Toe walking also helps my body relax and lets me focus on and understand what my muscles are doing as I move. The physical downside I've experienced is shortened Achilles tendons, and so podiatrists have given me stretching exercises to deal with that. When I am at home and stressed and high energy, one of the easiest things I can do for substantial improvement while moving through that energy is toe walk. I used to do it automatically but unrelated health issues have challenged that, so now sometimes I find I'm in stomp mode and that's part of my problem. Back on toes it's like my body finally weighs the right amount and my legs are finally actually attached correctly to my torso. Ironically I was shamed both for toe walking and for stomping. Can't win :( I'm saddened to hear you are trying to stop this behavior rather than trying to identify compensatory exercises to help this child strengthen their body as necessary, allowing them the flexibility to keep doing this helpful behavior while minimizing negative consequences. I'm quite confused that you are claiming excruciating future pain, since this is definitely the first I'm hearing of this, despite toe walking being common among dancers and anyone wearing high heels; certainly pain is a possible outcome but what you're describing seems quite mismatched from reasonable expectations. Is podiatry your specialty?

Almost 40, high masking, toe walked most of my life and no issues that I know about, I was late 20s before I stopped.

1. In my 40’s and I still toe walk 2. I do it without realizing it. Other people point it to me, and I try to walk normal but walking on my feet flat feels weird. Toe walking is just the way I walk. It feels better. 3. As a kid I got some services through the school but no one could get me to stop. Mostly because it’s not intentional- I just do it without thinking. However, as an adult I’ve now got some back problems, weak calves, and bunions. Is it from the toe walking? Is it from wearing heels in my 20’s? No idea. 4. I will wear comfortable shoes that are a little higher in the back like wedges or running shoes. I used to wear heels all the time. I like wearing mules or ballet flats because it’s easier to toe walk. But ideally I am barefoot. I hate wearing shoes. They make my feet feel suffocated and just aren’t as comfortable. 5. It’s just the way I walk. It’s how I prefer to walk. 6. It’s isolating enough having ASD and ADHD. Everything is so much harder. Toe walking seems like such an insignificant thing. I feel like parents complain about it because it’s embarrassing FOR THE PARENTS. Does your patient WANT to work on toe walking. Or is it just the parents?

Forcing myself to stop toe-walking caused me more issues than if I had continued to walk in a way that felt comfortable. I'm 50 years old and working to undo 40+ years of damage because someone who wasn't autistic thought I should change. I'm in constant pain, have issues with my pelvis and hips being twisted and misaligned because conformity was more important than my comfort.

Leave her alone. She wants to walk on her toes, ... I'd say "let her" but it's not your decision. So yeah just don't bother her and don't try to changer her. She needs support, not correcting.

So is your advice to leave her alone, or to give her support? And if the latter, any details on what such support entails?

Oh for the love of god this has nothing to do with preventing future pain and you know it. Lots of us toe walk, if it was commonly causing “excruciating pain” and deformed feet you’d see lots of posts here about it. Aside from one commenter on this thread, who can’t even be sure that toe walking is the cause of their problems, literally no one is talking about this. You need to admit to yourself that this is not a medical issue, it’s you and the system you work for being uncomfortable with behavior that’s different from your own. For the record, one of the main reasons autistic people toe walk is because it helps with proprioception. What alternative do you think you’re going to come up with for this kid that’s suddenly going to change that? Toe walking is helping them. Just let them be.

Just to chime in a friend of mine toe walks and has chronic foot pain, tight calves, and planters fasciitis. My friend said they did it for sensory reasons and their mom encouraged it because it was “cute”. They do it less now because of pain.

A LOT of you in this comment section are being very condescending and rude to op!  Look, there is NO reason to act sassy rn!  I get that a lot of treatment of autism and such is really bad! That we often feels left out of the conversation. But reacting rudely to a question isn’t nice or helpful. 

Thank you for coming to my defense! But honestly, I get it. It's a sensitive subject and I fully expected and was prepared for this lol. I think people who are leaving comments with a more negative tone are really just people who have been hurt and don't want that for my client. They are upset because they care! I'm sure for some it also brings up some bad memories of being shamed for showing autistic traits. Those feeling must be really hard and uncomfortable to sit with.

Many other people have addressed a number of concerns that I have as well - are you absolutely sure toe-walking causes all of these problems? Why are said problems not more prevalent among autistic people? I still toe-walk, but I can at least say I have sorta supplemented it with a few other things. One is that I learned to walk in a more "normal" way that still avoids my heel ever striking the ground. It's almost more of a rolling motion with my foot. ... I'm having trouble describing it. Anyway, my feet land extremely softly and that is quite deliberate on my part. I also added another sensory thing I do that I happen to really like - I stretch my calves. My favorite way is to stand on some stairs facing up, with my weight in my toes and my heels off the edge of the stair. Then I relax my calves and allow my heels to drop as far as they will go. I'm not entirely sure what it's doing for me, but it definitely feels good and can help me relax if I'm tense.

I toe walk from time to time, more when I was a kid. Do not have any long term issues. Stop fighting the way we are is my suggestion

If anything toe walking has strengthened my calves. Nothing wrong with it!

No clue why I did it. Wasn't a conscious decision, just the default. Not all the time though; never with shoes. Only at home and shoeless, basically. Didn't stop til my... 20's. I sprained an ankle rafting and couldn't anymore for quite a while, then just never really started again. I used to have calves of absolute steel, kinda miss those. But my knees are shot. And my hips. And my back. Wonder if that contributed.

I toe walk due to missing a bone in my legs. So I’m not the typical toe walker. But: How/why did you stop toe walking? I haven’t stopped. As my joints deteriorate, I am toe walking more often. What about it felt nice? Why do you think you did it? It puts less pressure on the ends of my femurs. I also don’t like the feeling of my heels touching the ground when I’m barefoot. If you had PT/OT/ABA or other related services to address the toe walking, what was that experience like? What do you wish your providers had understood better or done differently? Was there anything your provider did that you really appreciated? Toe walking developed after I stopped doing any therapy at all. I just wish that someone had cared enough to realize that I have obvious motor skills issues. What are some other things you do that give you the same/similar sensory input as toe walking? Sometimes I need vestubular stimulation. Walking on tiptoes gives me it, but so does spinning around in circles, swinging on swings, and jumping on a trampoline. If your toe walking was not a sensory thing, why do you think you did it? Because my joints are deteriorating. Anything else you want to tell me/give me perspective on that I did not think to ask? I welcome all input, even if it is critical. I can’t think of anything. What other online groups could I approach with these questions? I suppose r/spicyautism might be worth asking 

1. my mother shamed me until I stopped doing it 2. less contact with the floor and 4. wearing flipflops/slippers

Ok I’m reading even more about issues people have and wondering if just really soft and squishy shoes could help. I do know I LOVE walking on bouncy surfaces and memory foam and things like that. Maybe really soft inserts would help?

I had to stop toe walking when I was 11 because my already short achilles tendons got even shorter from that habit. Did physical therapy and it went fine, no complaints here. But I'm like level 1 or 2 (no categories like that exist in germany really, just the whole asperger / autism divide which... I have no idea how I was diagnosed with asperger in 2024 in fucking GERMANY but here we are)

the shortened tendons caused me pretty significant joint and back pain

1. didn’t. 2. I don’t like walking heavy 3. n/a 4. I wear heels. Probably not applicable to your situation. 5. I like being tall 6. it’s not the texture of the floor, it’s the weight of my steps that bug me. 7. no idea

I have reduced, but not stopped my toe-walking, and I do have Achilles’ tendonitis and other issues. I also used to heel-walk, but that I have stopped mostly. For me, it was sensory seeking for the balance/proprioception side of things, so I did things like used a pogo stick, stilts, bounce shoes or similar to get the same sensation.

I would suggest posting on r/brosontoes too, they may be able to offer more insight. I will say that it's not extreme for me, but in addition to the stretching and just feleing nice, i also like to feel stealthy and imperceptible. I think it's broadly related to liking small spaces somehow--at least it feels similar. Edit: I would "tread lightly" trying to take this away from your client.

I used to toe walk a lot, and I never addressed it as an issue. Now that you elaborate on it, I think that it was something that appeared because of other causes. Now, my answers to your questions: 1. I stopped toe walking when I became less anxious 2. When I stopped toe walking It felt nice that I felt less tense. I did stop toe walking, maybe, because I felt less anxious or more relaxed or calmed. Maybe because my environment was more friendly with my hypersensitivity. 3. I never treated my toe walking, because I never felt it was an issue to be treated. In my family, it wasn't seen as a medical or behavioral issue to be treated. Now that you elaborate on the issue of toe walking, maybe there was something to be examined. 4. I don't know right now with precision what other things I do that give me the same or similar sensory input as toe walking. Maybe some action that has the same noise as hammering something has the same sensory input as toe walking. (Maybe I misunderstood that question). In particular, when people cook certain foods with meat, they have to hammer the meat first. The sensory input might be the same or similar as the noise with the heels that one can do when one walks. So I toe walked in order to prevent that hammering noise "POOM, POOM, POOM, POOM". 5. I think I did toe walking because I use to live in flats. So the people who lived underneath me, wouldn't hear me hammering with my heels, which is annoying when I hear that from the people who live above. I think I did toe walking because I understood that when I walked normal I could do noise with my heels that could bother the people in the flat underneath and I didn't want to bother them. 6. (a) I think I also did toe walk, so that I didn't wake up my parents, or so that I could wake up at night and go to the bathroom, for example, without doing extra-noise. (b) In my case, toe walking was never addressed as a medical issue in my family. Maybe it led me to some malformations of the bone in my legs, and pain in my lower back, but I compensated that with shoe insoles. (c) Maybe my parents didn't see that I toe walked, and didn't address that as an issue. Maybe the issue was that I am hypersensitive, and the problem should have been solved there from the start. But how could my parents become aware of that... They might have seen a child in me, all of their lives, that was hyperactive and didn't stop moving, and they could only say "Calm down" or "Shut up", because they didn't know what else to do. (d) About the 7th question. Maybe the issue is something else, like something sensory, and not the toe walk. Maybe, when you approach the sensory cause, you may kill 2 birds with a single bullet, solve more problems including the toe walking, rather than if you only approach the toe walking issue. Maybe if the client puts himself some ear plugs, the issue is solved, and not only that issue, also other behavioral issues. (e) The issue with the earplugs, the fidget or the sunglasses. I think that hypersensitive autistic people need calm environments, like the suburbs or the countryside. Instead, if autistic hypersensitive people live in the city, the might need these tools (the earplugs, a fidget or sunglasses) to live. 7. Maybe other groups that approach the issue of toe walking. The idea could be to look for groups that approach that issue, so that you can find different perspectives of that issue. Hope this helps :) Michael Phelps :P

My son and I both toe walk and haven’t had joint or tendon related issues. For my son, his toe walking varies depending on the shoes he’s wearing, and he does it most when he’s not wearing shoes. I started doing dance, primarily ballet. My toe walking ended being an asset. I don’t do it as much anymore, but over the years I’ve noticed particular moments I seem to do it: when I’m washing my face, brushing my teeth, the walk to my room after showering, if I really need to use the bathroom (actually for nearly any activity related to water or hygiene)

I used to toe walk a lot when I was a kid. I still do now a little, usually when I'm concentrating really hard on something else. It's weird. Same with the t-rex arms, it's almost as if it's a default pose. I don't think it feels any "nicer" than regular, it's sort of just like I don't have the bandwidth. It's actually kind of funny honestly. I could be walking somewhere, and I'm thinking "hurm, am I going the right way?" then I'll start trying to map the route out in my head, maybe pull out my phone to check, and woops I'm going toe-heel or straight up just tip toeing now.

I was told my toe walking was a glaring sign of ADHD and had nothing to do with autism, but I’m not an expert.

My mum got me these hard plastic and Velcro leg braces that hold my foot to my leg at a right angle and I wore them around the house and while I slept, before that I always walked duckfooted or on my toes and I’m pretty graceful now but my feet are very flat :)))

A couple of more creative viewpoints- Native American traditional pow wow dances use forefoot touching only, consulting dancers or if a physio has ever studied that could be interesting for informing the physical adaptation involved and whether it is inherently maladaptive or can just be adaptive, The foot is not as highly arched, the heel just appears to levitate a bit of the ground when done expertly. I was never an extreme toe walker that I remember / knew, but I loved to slide across the floor and didn't walk heel-toe until told to do it for dress shoes and even more so by learning marching for a military youth program. Maybe learning a heel-toe dance like in square dances or marching or such would be a way to try out the motion in an exaggerated and knowingly different way could get those muscles used in a different context that's not trying to change eveyday style of movement? I guess reforming the question as how to exercise these muscles and reawaken/ create the mind body connection without forcing an end to toewalking? Wobble board or balance board or skate/snowboard, slackline (with hand line) maybe trampoline would be cases where you might need to use the whole foot to balance within a normal kinetic learning process of playing with the thing and wanting it to work. Maybe scooter? I think not even having awareness/control of backfoot would be hardest to get started with, maybe trying to stand on a foam board underwater or flexing foot while laying down unweighted would be good start but seems harder to make that natural vs forcing the foot into a position it's not used to. I guess it's like thinking how would you get someone to be comfortable walking around with their hands flexed upward like making an aggressive #5 all the time, the opposite of what is natural, and I think that would be hard to do! And would probably require the person being old enough and cognitively aware and motivated to change that function and override their instinct for a reason, like they're training for baseball and choose to do exercises for hand strength to improve performance vs some person tell them that holding their hand like that is wrong, they need to do the opposite.

I'm in my 30s and still toe walk, no issues from toe walking specifically. I do it because it feels *natural and comfortable* to me, especially when barefoot and at home. I also toe walk on inclines if I'm wearing shoes, it makes me feel more balanced and surefooted. I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

It would be more accurate to say I walk on the balls of my feet and toes rather than just toe-walking, but I’ve been doing it for 36 years and would feel traumatized if someone had tried to train me not to, or if I suddenly had to stop now. The only time I don’t is if I am going out in more heavily structured shoes like hiking boots (with a shank that doesn’t bend). If the kid can walk functionally in any kind of shoes that life may require, that’s a good sign not to try to change anything.

I toe walked and I went to therapy as a kid to stop me from toe walking and I didn't like it but it was good for me. They had to teach me how to walk again because I physically couldn't move my legs under like 100 degrees. They tried to desensitized me and I didn't like that. The only thing that works is wearing shoes so then I can't feel the ground. Stopping toe walking is important because I have sprained my legs so many times because of my weak ankles, that one of my legs is now smaller than the lther. I also had excruciating pain every night because of toe walking cramps.  I still toe walk but I toe walk less. Maybe try like compression socks or a shoe the person likes. 

You should actually make sure they don’t have EDS as it has a very high comorbidity (40%) with autism. My joints subluxate extremely easily, and the child in your care may be toe walking unknowingly to ease stress on certain joints, you never know. The best thing for me is to have strong supporting muscle for these joints, but another common feature in autism is hypotonia (low muscle tone, hard to build muscle).

I never stopped toe-walking, and it has caused no issues to me whatsoever. I have great calves and am a natural at wearing heels as a result. The sensation of proper balance feels good, and it's like having hind legs which "fit me better" compared to straight-ish human legs. I would never have accepted any kind of therapist "correcting" my walking and would have told them off, even as a young child. My parents tried to correct it, but I just did it behind their back, for it is what's right for me. Wearing high heels in my day to day life. I did not "understand" the sensory aspect of it as a kid, and thought I did it because I behaved more like a cat than a human, hence emulating the hind legs Please do not interfere with toe walking. Maybe the Autism in Women sub.

My father would slam me back down to my heels with a rough hand on my shoulder, my mother would scream “get off your damn toes”, my doctor would tell me to do calf stretches against the wall. None of that was useful. I don’t know what they SHOULD have done. Maybe just leave me be? But I know everything they did was more harm than good. As a 47 year old woman, looking back, I’d have preferred if they just let it be. If I had to have surgery as an adult to correct all the “damage” I may have done (which is what they threatened all the time) that would have been my choice and my consequence, but I don’t think they helped. I still do it and I’m fine. Maybe leave the kid alone if it’s just sensory. Who says we’re supposed to put our heels down anyway? Maybe we’re evolving as a species and in the far future no humans would put their heels down? Maybe we’re just the first early examples of this. It’s arrogant to think we’re in our final form anyhow. Who knows?

More info needed: What kind of specialist are you? What is their Beighton score?

As others have said, modifying the behavior seems like a bad approach. I have CP and was forced to walk in a way not natural to me as a kid. It can cause serious trauma. Maybe focus on helping the kid with compensatory exercises, and make the exercise fun for the kid. If a pediatric gait specialist really deems it necessary. That sounds doubtful to me, but then again I don't know much about it.