Do walkers, jumpers, etc. teach babies to walk on their toes?

[mariekitt24]

I am a toe walker, and I hate it. I have yet to figure out WHY I do it. Kids made fun of me, teachers pulled me aside and told me I needed to walk flat footed or else I would have problems later and might need surgery. I know that my mom put me in everything from jumpers to walkers because I loved them sooo much she says. She wants to buy a walker for my 7 month old.

So, do you know if such things encourage learning to walk on their toes? Would getting a walker be a bad idea?

I thought I read somewhere that they do too, I cant remember where.. my mom says they dont. :/

[OperaDiva]

I have heard people say that they do, but I don't have anything to back that up except hearsay

[sunshynbaby]

I know many here disagree, but I think things like that are fine if used in moderation (like 20 minutes a day). My ped hates walkers for some reason. I need to ask him why (it's something about the wheels). My nephew just loved his, which had the unfortunate side effect of him being left in it for too long and not learning to walk right away. He is a happy, intelligent teenager now and walks just fine If we had enough room for one, I would get one and use it sparingly. I know DS would love it to death. He just wants to get up and walk so badly!

[Parker'smommy]

Most pediatricians are against them. In fact, they are illegal in Canada! They say that they are bad for leg development AND mostly they are the cause of one of the biggest injuries to children. A traditional walker gives a baby who is not developmentally ready for walking the ability to do so and as a result they can go faster than they can think. They can move pretty fast and most parents reported they were watching them and then blinked and bam, they were injured. Although they are not illegal in the U.S., many manafacturers have stopped making them and you might even have a hard time finding one.

We used push walkers with our children. They have to be able to pull up by themselves onto them and then use their own mobility to walk with them. We got a cool radio flyer one ( that they STILL play with at 7 and 4 years old!) that has a basket AND it won't go backwards easily. Of course, you must still use extreme caution and supervise your child when using it, but it's much safer than the traditional walker.

[ann_of_loxley]

The only children I know who walk on their toes, have been left in walkers too long. (not the push kind, the 'sit in' kind)
And that makes sense. I wouldn't say it 'teaches' them to walk on their toes, but it doesn't encourage proper muscle development. I had a close friend whos daughter had to have physio because of it. The tendons in her feet were too short in the back, so just couldn't put her feet flat and could only walk on her toes. She was left in a walker too longer. And its easy to do if you have one in the house I think. If you look at the way children use their legs and feet in those thing, they are often not flat on their feet but pushing by their toes. From what I have seen and what my friend has experienced, it has to do with how using them doens't encourage the muscles/tendons to develop the way they should. This is why they really stress that if you are going to use these things (and I personally wouldn't), you need to use them for limited amounts of time - like 10 to 30 mintues at the most a day!

[tsfairy]

I don't know about toe-walking being related to walkers. My sister is/was a toe-walker and I don't think she ever used a walker. Possibly a johnny jumper type thing a bit. Her DD is also a toe-walker. She can walk quite normally, but prefers being on her toes. She's never been left in a walker or other contraption for any length of time, though she did have fun in them at times.

That said, I think walkers etc. are best used for very short periods of play, if at all. My kids have always much preferred standing outside of them rather than being stuck inside them, and they loved the push-n-go walkers. Actually my oldest's favorite walker was a big empty laundry basket.

[askew]

I lived in a walker as a small child. 4-9 months when I started walking. I am a total toe walker. My DS is also a toe walker, and he never had anything like it for him. No jumperoo, no exersaucer etc.

[marrymeflyfree]

Pure anecdote, but here ya go:

We were visiting my parents who have a zillion different jumpers and walkers and all sorts of those gadgets, thanks to my mom who just thinks (thought?) they're the cutest things ever. There are about a thousand pics of my brother and I in such devices. I mentioned not wanting my not-yet-walking daughter to use those things much, if at all, since I'd heard they could contribute to toe walking. You could practically see the illumination from the all the light bulbs going off in the room. Mom said I'd been a toe walker, and had enrolled me in gymnastics/etc at the suggestion of the ped to try to curtail that. My brother still is a toe walker. Brother's 6 year old daughter, who also used the jumpers and walkers like mad, is a toe walker.

My now walking-running-dancing-jumping-flipping daughter, who never got more than a few scant minutes in a jumper (and never had a walker/etc), is not a toe walker.

[LionTigerBear]

We don't have a walker but we used a jumper-- not for extended periods of time, though, only for when I'm in the shower or dressing, that sort of thing. We haven't had any issues with toe-walking yet. Toe walking can also be an ASD thing. I know a boy who was NEVER in any kind of plastic-baby-device, totally APed to the extreme, yet still did toe-walking, due to being on the spectrum.

[millifiori]

Originally Posted by Parker'smommy

Most pediatricians are against them. In fact, they are illegal in Canada! They say that they are bad for leg development

exactly! babies know better than us what muscles they need to exercise and develop, a walker only hinders their ability to do so.

[red and lulu]

Originally Posted by ann_of_loxley

If you look at the way children use their legs and feet in those thing, they are often not flat on their feet but pushing by their toes. From what I have seen and what my friend has experienced, it has to do with how using them doens't encourage the muscles/tendons to develop the way they should.

As I understand it, that's correct...
Ideal (functional) alignment puts a standing person's center of gravity just slightly forward of their heels, and that alignment is supported by the muscles in the legs and back. When we walk, we are designed to go heel to toe. Exersaucers, sit-in walkers, and jumpers undermine this alignment by causing the weight of the baby's legs to dangle relatively unsupported from the pelvis which tips the pelvis forward and "shortens" the back line of the body, and also since their center of gravity is still back behind their heels (b/c they're sitting) they have to use their toes to propel them forward which causes improper muscle development.

I suppose using those things ocassionally wouldn't be the end of the world, but it adds up quickly. imo, it's really important that all that initial neuromuscular patterning happens organically.