Bottom Shuffling Babies are commonly seen in practice. Some infants scoot around on their bottoms instead of crawling.

Cause Of Bottom Shuffling?

Infants may bottom shuffle instead of crawling due to hypermobile hip joints and tight hip muscles (muscle that cross over the side of the hips). They may also find bottom shuffling as a way of moving around because crawling is uncomfortable. The tight hip muscles may be uncomfortable to weight bear on the knees. A shoulder or neck problem as a result of the birth process or a fall, may be causing discomfort when weight bearing on one or both arms or lifting the neck.

Downside of Bottom Shuffling?
1. The infant misses out on the experience of crawling which is important for physical development ( muscles in the head, arms, back and legs). A crawling infant supports development of gross and fine motor skills as they explore different surfaces, slopes, steps and tactile experience of grass, sand, carpet, floors etc. Crawling is considered important for brain development. It encourages crossing the midline and for working both hemispheres (sides) of the brain. Crawling can encourage healthy development of near and far vision and aids in hand and eye coordination and balance .
2. The Bottom shuffling infant often sits with one knee flexed, or sits with the legs twisted to the side which may lead to tightness in the lower back.

What Can I Do To Encourage My Baby To Crawl?
Have your baby checked by a chiropractor to identify any neck, shoulder or back problem which may be causing discomfort in the crawling position.
Do some developmental gym for infants by seeing a physio or researching a developmental gym program online.