Vibration Threshold and Toe Walking in Children

Vibration Threshold and Toe Walking in Children Your Therapy Source

Pediatric Physical Therapy published research comparing distal vibratory perception threshold and sensation in 11 children who toe walked and 15 controls.  The mean vibration perception threshold at the metacarpal and metatarsal phalangeal joints was calculated for each participant.  In addition, the Short Sensory Profile was completed by each participant’s parent or caregiver.  The results indicated the following:

  1.  the mean vibration threshold was highly correlated in both groups – it was higher in toe walkers compared to controls.
  2. toe walkers were more likely to have a total Short Sensory Profile score in the “probably difference” or “definite difference” categories.

The researchers concluded that sensation should be evaluated in toe walkers.

Reference:  Ganley, Kathleen J. PT, PhD; Behnke, Claire PT, DPT. Distal Vibration Perception Threshold in Children Who Toe Walk. Pediatric Physical Therapy: Summer 2016 – Volume 28 – Issue 2 – p 187–191. doi: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000241

Read more about toe walking:

  1.  Motor Skills, Sensory Processing and Toe Walking
  2.  Prevalence of Toe Walking
  3.  Idiopathic Toe Walking and Left Handedness
  4.  Toe Walking and Autism
  5.  Idiopathic Toe Walking and Botox

Taming Idiopathic Toe Walking: A Treatment Guide for Parents and Therapists is a great electronic or print book that provides a non-invasive, efficient and effective sensory treatment strategy for children and adolescents that display atypical toe walking.

Written by renowned Occupational Therapist, Ileana S. McCaigue, OTR/L, ‘Taming Idiopathic Toe Walking: A Treatment Guide for Parents and Therapists’ serves as a definitive manual for children and adolescents that display atypical toe walking behaviors. Inspired by the overcoming of toe walking by numerous children during her years of practice,  McCaigue’s professional expertise and personal experiences are fused into a powerful resource.  FIND OUT MORE.

Stand Up Desks

Quite a few classrooms in Minnesota are in the process of trying out stand up desks. These desks were created by a teacher and a furniture company two years ago. The desks are height adjustable. The children can stand, sit and swing their feet on the movable foot rest. This desk seems like a great option for many children including some children with sensory processing disorder (with adequate balance). Anyone using stand up desks now? Here is the full story from The New York Times.