An evaluation of the use of gait plate inlays in the short-term management of the intoeing child.

A method of short-term intervention in cases of symptomatic intoeing in young children was evaluated. Foot placement angle (FPA) in subjects (N = 18) suffering from symptomatic intoeing was compared before and during the wearing of "gait plate" inlays in the footgear. The median preintervention FPA in the study group was -9.5 degrees (i.e., 9.5 degrees of intoeing). After the addition of gait plate inlays, this angle fell to -3.5 degrees (Wilcoxon's matched pairs test P < 0.0001). There was no correlation found between the site of the underlying pathology, gender, or age in relation to either the degree of original intoeing or resulting improvement. There was a significant negative correlation (Spearman's correlation coefficient -0.512, P < 0.001) between the FPA at diagnosis and the subsequent improvement.