How can you stop a 5 year old from tip-toeing?

Takes time & work: Prolonged toe walking (after 3y) in normal kids can eventually result in shortening of the achilles tendon and a shorter calf to heal distance. Physical therapy & or home stretches to bring the forefoot up to a normal range of ankle motion can improve the process. Kids with a subtile spastic diplegia can create the same gait. A good eval can help.

Toe walker: This can be from a contracted achilles tendon. Using heel lifts and then working on achilles tendon stretching. This needs to be done aggressively. Working with a physical therapist may be helpful. There is a new stretching brace for the achilles tendon that can be worn while ambulating which may be helpful as well.

Find out why: Sometimes it means there was a slight drop in oxygen or blood flow to the area of the brain that controls the nerves to that area late in the 2nd trimester or after. A neurological exam will help with diagnosis. If it's progressive, it may be from "tethering" of the lower end of the spinal cord. If (s)he has language delays, a developmental evaluation would be warranted, as well.

Habitual???: If it just from habit, or just because they want to, they can be casted for a while to break them of this habit. Also, very stiff full-length insoles in the shoes will prevent this as well (and i mean, stainless steel stiff). If they can't walk any other way, see a specialist in podiatric pediatrics.

See a podiatrist : He may require orthotics or braces to correct the problem.