Your baby is walking! What an exciting milestone. But those first wobbly steps are just the beginning. Before you know it, they're climbing onto the couch, running across the playground, navigating stairs and discovering just how much their little bodies can do.
Along the way come plenty of tumbles, bumps and new movement patterns. While all of this is a normal part of growing up, it's also a time of tremendous physical development.
As an osteopathic manual practitioner, I often remind parents that osteopathic care doesn't have to end once their baby's original concern has resolved. As children grow, the way we assess and support their movement evolves, too.
Learning to Walk: A Lot of Practice (and a Lot of Falling!)
Did you know that toddlers can take thousands of steps and experience dozens of falls during a typical hour of active play?
A fascinating study published in Psychological Science found that toddlers between 12 and 19 months of age averaged approximately 2,368 steps and 17 falls per hour during observed periods of free play!
That's a lot of movement, and a lot of opportunities to learn.
When toddlers first begin walking, they're developing balance, coordination, strength and postural control. Their steps are often wide, their movements unpredictable and their balance constantly challenged.
And that's exactly what we'd expect.
With practice, their movements become more coordinated and efficient. Those early wobbly steps eventually turn into confident walking, running and climbing.
Falling is a normal part of learning to walk. Most minor tumbles don't cause lasting problems or require treatment. But as your toddler becomes increasingly adventurous, it's worth paying attention to how they're moving and whether anything seems to be consistently uncomfortable or challenging.
From Wobbly Steps to Climbing Everything!
Once toddlers gain confidence on their feet, a whole new world opens up.
They're no longer just walking. They're climbing onto furniture, navigating stairs, squatting to pick up toys, carrying objects while moving, running and eventually jumping.
These activities place new demands on their developing musculoskeletal and nervous systems.
Their spine, pelvis, hips, legs and feet are all working together to help them maintain balance, coordinate movement and adapt to different surfaces and challenges.
As children develop these new skills, they also begin establishing preferred ways of moving.
Have you ever noticed that your toddler:
Always leads with the same leg when climbing onto the couch or going up stairs?
Prefers to push up to standing using one leg?
Consistently turns or rotates their body in one direction?
Seems more comfortable balancing on one leg than the other?
Avoids certain movements or positions?
These are all interesting things to observe.
It's important to remember that movement asymmetries and preferences aren't necessarily a cause for concern. Children are still learning, experimenting and developing coordination.
However, when a movement preference is particularly pronounced, persists over time, or seems to limit a child's ability to move comfortably in different ways, it may be worth having it assessed.
Why Movement Variety Matters
One of the remarkable things about young children is their ability to learn through movement.
Every time they crawl under a table, climb over a cushion, squat to pick up a toy or navigate an uneven surface, they're gaining valuable sensory and motor experiences.
These experiences help develop balance, body awareness, coordination and the ability to adapt to new physical challenges.
Our bodies naturally develop preferred movement strategies. That's not inherently a bad thing! But ideally, we want children to have access to a variety of comfortable movement options rather than consistently relying on just one.
As an osteopathic manual practitioner, I'm interested in observing these patterns and understanding whether they reflect normal developmental preferences or whether an underlying musculoskeletal concern may be contributing.
The goal isn't to make every movement perfectly symmetrical. It's to support comfortable, adaptable movement as children grow.
What Does an Osteopathic Check-In Look Like for a Toddler?
An osteopathic assessment of a toddler looks quite different from one with an adult. Much of the assessment begins with play!
I like to watch children move naturally. How do they walk, crawl, climb and transition from the floor to standing? Do they move comfortably in different directions? Do they consistently lead with the same leg when climbing? Are they confident exploring their surroundings, or do certain movements seem more challenging?
These observations give me valuable information about how their body is coordinating movement and adapting to the new physical demands of toddlerhood.
From there, I perform a gentle, hands-on assessment of the whole body, including the spine, pelvis, legs, trunk, arms and head. I also consider the nervous system's role in balance, coordination, postural control and how the child responds to movement and touch.
And here's something parents are often relieved to hear: your toddler isn't expected to sit still or lie down for the appointment!
We work around them and follow their lead.
If they don't want to lie on the treatment table, that's perfectly fine. Sometimes we're sitting on the floor, sometimes they're playing with toys, and sometimes we're assessing them while they're moving around the room.
The session is adapted to their comfort, curiosity and willingness to participate.
The goal isn't to find something wrong with every child. It's to understand how their body is moving, recognize areas that may need further attention and support comfortable movement as they grow.
Sometimes gentle osteopathic treatment may be appropriate for a musculoskeletal concern. Other times, the most valuable part of the visit is reassuring parents that their child's movement is progressing well and offering simple ways to encourage movement through everyday play.
Osteopathy Isn't Just for Babies
Many of the children I see as toddlers first came to me as babies.
Perhaps we were addressing a head-turning preference, feeding difficulties or an early movement concern. Once that concern is resolved, there may not have been a reason to return.
But here's something I often remind parents: your child's body doesn't stop developing once they start walking!
The transition from infancy into toddlerhood, and eventually the preschool years, brings an entirely new set of physical demands.
The child who once needed help learning to roll and crawl is now climbing playground structures, jumping off steps and running at full speed.
And just as their movement changes, so does what we look for during an osteopathic assessment.
In my practice, I often suggest considering an osteopathic check-in once or twice a year during the toddler and preschool years, depending on the child's individual needs, particularly if there have been previous musculoskeletal concerns or ongoing movement asymmetries.
This isn't a medically established schedule that every child needs to follow. Rather, it's an opportunity to revisit how they're moving, discuss any concerns parents may have and determine whether additional support would be helpful.
Regular check-ins aren't about assuming that every fall creates a problem or that every asymmetry needs correcting. And while we can't claim that routine osteopathic treatment prevents future injuries or compensation patterns, an assessment can help identify movement concerns that may warrant attention.
When Might an Osteopathic Assessment Be Helpful?
Beyond a routine developmental check-in, parents may consider an assessment if they notice persistent movement preferences, difficulty with certain physical activities, or signs of musculoskeletal discomfort.
For example, perhaps your toddler consistently avoids using one leg when climbing, seems uncomfortable turning in a particular direction, or has developed a noticeable change in how they move.
These observations don't automatically mean something is wrong, but they may be worth exploring.
It's also important to recognize when medical assessment is needed. A child who develops a limp, refuses to bear weight, experiences significant pain, loses previously acquired motor skills or shows a worsening asymmetry should be evaluated by an appropriate medical professional.
Osteopathic care can be part of a collaborative approach to your child's well-being, but it doesn't replace routine pediatric care or developmental screening.
Supporting Your Toddler's Movement at Home
One of the best things you can do for your toddler's physical development is to give them plenty of opportunities to move, explore and play.
Encourage climbing, crawling, squatting, balancing and navigating different surfaces in safe, age-appropriate environments.
Allow them to explore barefoot indoors when it's safe to do so, giving their feet opportunities to experience different textures and surfaces.
Create playful opportunities to move in different directions, climb using either leg and transition between positions in a variety of ways.
Most importantly, let them explore at their own pace.
Children learn so much about their bodies through movement, and they don't need every activity to be structured or corrected.
Sometimes the best developmental activity is simply letting them play.
Growing Bodies Deserve Attention, Too
The toddler and preschool years are full of extraordinary physical changes. From those first uncertain steps to confidently climbing, running and jumping, children are constantly discovering what their bodies can do.
As parents, we're often focused on developmental milestones: when they first crawl, stand or walk. But it's also valuable to pay attention to how they move as they become more confident and independent.
Osteopathic care offers one way to assess musculoskeletal comfort, observe movement patterns and help parents better understand their child's physical development.
And sometimes, a check-in is simply an opportunity to hear that everything is progressing beautifully.
At Antidote Wellness Lab, our approach to pediatric osteopathy is gentle, individualized and centred around the child. Whether we're observing them climb, watching them play or sitting together on the floor for an assessment, we meet them where they are.
Because growing up is one big adventure, and we're here to support them along the way.
Curious whether an osteopathic check-in might be helpful for your toddler? Book a pediatric osteopathy appointment at Antidote Wellness Lab, or reach out to our team to learn more.
References
Adolph, K. E., Cole, W. G., Komati, M., Garciaguirre, J. S., Badaly, D., Lingeman, J. M., Chan, G. L. Y., & Sotsky, R. B. (2012). How do you learn to walk? Thousands of steps and dozens of falls per day. Psychological Science, 23(11), 1387–1394. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612446346
Adolph, K. E., & Hoch, J. E. (2019). Motor development: Embodied, embedded, enculturated, and enabling. Annual Review of Psychology, 70, 141–164. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102836
World Health Organization. (2019). Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241550536
