Understanding how footwear designed to reduce toe walking affects walking patterns and comfort in children with idiopathic toe walking or toe walking associated with autism

The intervention is a commercially available footwear (Brand name: Aerlos) design intended to reduce toe-walking gait by promoting heel contact during walking. The intervention footwear will be fitted to each participant according to manufacturer sizing recommendations and used only during the study assessment session. The intervention will be delivered by members of the research team who have expertise in paediatric gait assessment, toe walking treatment and lower limb biomechanics, including paediatric podiatrists, physiotherapists and researchers experienced in gait analysis and footwear assessment. The intervention will be delivered individually during a face-to-face assessment session at Monash University in a university-based gait laboratory. Each participant will complete walking trials under three conditions: barefoot, their usual footwear, and the intervention footwear. The order of conditions will be randomised. Participants will attend a single assessment session lasting approximately 45 minutes with each condition expected to take up to 10 minutes with a wash out break of 5 minutes before each intervention being tested. During the intervention footwear condition, participants will complete repeated walking trials until three usable gait recordings are obtained. Rest breaks will be provided as required. Adherence will be monitored directly by the research team during the assessment session. Because the intervention is tested only during a supervised single-session assessment, no additional reminders or home monitoring procedures are required. Completion of all planned walking trials and successful fitting and tolerance of the intervention footwear will be recorded.