Heel to Toe Helper Socks!

Working with many children who exhibit Idiopathic Toe Walking, I have found “Heel-to-Toe Helper Socks” aka grippy socks, to be a simple and helpful treatment adjunct.

I’m not talking about the standard low-profile treads found on many children’s socks. Instead, we can customize the amount and location of tactile input on the sole of the sock for each individual child. The goal is to provide additional sensory feedback through the foot while encouraging the child to fully weight bear through the entire foot and practice a more consistent heel-to-toe gait pattern.

Heel to Toe Helper Sock Tutorial

What you need:

Child Sized Socks (without any embellishment on soles)

Fabric Paint

Empty Paper Towel Roll

Instructions:

1. Start with clean socks.
Slide each sock over an empty paper towel roll. This provides a firm surface and makes applying the fabric paint much easier.

2. Apply small, raised dots of fabric paint
You can apply the dots along the entire sole of the sock or focus specifically on the heel.

3. Experiment with different patterns
Every child responds differently to tactile input, so try both options to determine which pattern best supports a more natural heel to toe gait pattern.

4. Allow the paint to dry completely
Leave the socks on the paper towel roll while they dry. Ideally, allow at least 12 hours before use.

5. Let your child “test drive” the socks
Have your child walk on a hard, smooth surface such as hardwood or tile. In the image above, you can see the child maintaining contact with the full surface of the foot while walking across the hardwood floor.

6. Make adjustments as needed.
You may find that thicker dots provide more noticeable tactile input. For some children, concentrating the dots across the heel may provide additional feedback to encourage greater weight bearing through the heel rather than the toes.