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Toe walking in autism, and are there later foot issues?

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AardvarkGoodSwimmer
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26 Mar 2021, 9:59 am

quaker wrote:
AardvarkGoodSwimmer wrote:
quaker wrote:
I have heard about this toe walking issue with us in the spectrum, but nobody has explained why many of us in the spectrum do this? I would be very grateful if someone here could enlighten me.

Many thanks,

Chris.

I think we sometimes do it to reduce how much sensory overload we get, such as a cold floor in the morning.

As an analogy, watch an NT “normal” person get into a cold pool. They are sometimes standing up on their toes to limit how much of their body is in the cold pool!

No such thing as “normal” anyway and how boring a place the world if there were! :jester:


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You’re Welcome! :nemo:



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26 Mar 2021, 8:06 pm

HeroOfHyrule wrote:
The toe walking is actually kind of useful, since I walk very quietly from it. I scare people on accident all the time because they don't hear me enter the room. lol


I also always seem to startle people accidentally, and I think in like 3rd grade realized I could walk silently if I chose to. I developed a habit at one of my old jobs to deliberately make louder steps in some circumstances because I kept startling one of my coworkers on accident.



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26 Mar 2021, 11:00 pm

HeroOfHyrule wrote:
The toe walking is actually kind of useful, since I walk very quietly from it. I scare people on accident all the time because they don't hear me enter the room. lol


Oooh me too!
I'm not exactly on my toes when I walk, but I'm silent and stealthy like a cat. I freak people out all the time because they don't hear me coming, even in heels. I couldn't make a loud footstep if I tried!


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quaker
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27 Mar 2021, 2:28 am

Great... now I'm starting to understand the logic behind toe walking. I can relate to the desire to be really quiet. I somehow feel comfortable making minimal noise when walking, it's like I don't want to draw attention to myself. I'm not a toe walker as I was humiliated for my odd behaviour and that would only have drawn unwarranted attention.

I learned the art of walking on eggshells not tiptoes.



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TenMinutes
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05 Apr 2021, 11:42 pm

I thought I had stopped doing this, but I just caught myself doing it.



SabbraCadabra
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08 Apr 2021, 12:40 am

I've read that it can cause tendon issues. I know I have trouble crouching for more than a few seconds, and a lot of shoes kill my feet (especially if they have arches).

quaker wrote:
I have heard about this toe walking issue with us in the spectrum, but nobody has explained why many of us in the spectrum do this?

Some kind of stim thing, I guess?


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Biscuitman
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09 Apr 2021, 2:09 am

i catch myself doing this now and again. There is something about walking around on tiptoes that is a nice feeling. I am aware if people see me do it them might think I am trying to trick people into thinking I am taller than I am



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10 Apr 2021, 2:09 am

I didn't even know that toe walking had anything to do with people with autism.
(my brother is autistic like me but he never did it).
I just found out and I've been doing it since I was a kid, I can't seem to stop unless I wear shoes with laces that make the arch of my foot "stick" to the sole.
Besides, I feel like I have bone problems now.
People hear me when I walk into a room because my feet crack.



Joe90
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10 Apr 2021, 5:18 am

I don't think I've ever toe walked. I can't even stand high-heeled shoes.

My right foot is damaged because I kept accidentally twisting my right ankle as a child which has made me walk awkwardly on it ever since to prevent any more ankle sprains (but not so that it notices in my posture), and my right shoes always end up becoming misshapen.


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MsJustice
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10 Apr 2021, 6:49 pm

I toe-walked until middle school when I got teased for it and stopped.
Never had foot issues.
I don't remember feeling like it was a sensory thing; it just felt right.


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SabbraCadabra
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11 Apr 2021, 12:06 am

Checkbox wrote:
People hear me when I walk into a room because my feet crack.

Oh my gosh, no! >_<


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HeroOfHyrule
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11 Apr 2021, 12:11 am

MsJustice wrote:
I don't remember feeling like it was a sensory thing; it just felt right.

I don't think that it was mainly a sensory thing for me, either. If anything it was due to how unstable my ankles are, I definitely have noticed that my ankles give out less when I toe walk.



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14 Apr 2021, 11:00 am

Yes, I tended to walk in an awkward form; whereby, nowadays I have arthritis in my ankles but, I think that; I might also have hypotonia influencing such as well.



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14 Apr 2021, 11:23 am

I walk on my toes if I'm on an unconformable surface and leave my shoes on generally if I'm uncomfortable. Cept I walk with one foot out usually..