Children’s Foot Care

Common Child Foot Injuries

• Pediatric flatfoot. There are two types of pediatric flatfoot – symptomatic or asymptomatic.  Symptomatic flatfeet cause symptoms such as pain and limitation of activity, while asymptomatic flatfeet show no symptoms.  Just because your child does not complain of pain, you still need to have them evaluated to deter long term problems later in life. 
• Ingrown toenails. Anyone who has nails can potentially develop ingrown toenails. They can be caused by tight shoes, toe injuries, improper cutting of the toenails, genetic or repetitive activity like kicking a soccer ball over and over again. 
• Plantar warts. Kids sometimes love sharing with one another, including strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause warts!  One of the most effective way to treat plantar warts is with laser treatments which we have at our office.
• Sever’s disease. A difference in the rates of growth between the heel bone and its connective tissues can lead to heel pain for adolescents. There are usually no long-term issues associated with Sever’s, and treatment centers on relieving existing symptoms.
• Sports injuries. Despite all its benefits, healthy sports activities unavoidably lead to injuries. Nearly every type of sports has the potential for injury to the foot or ankle.  Our office treats many young patients for injuries sustained during athletic practices or competition and get them back to playing the sport they love. 

Child Foot and Ankle Injury Prevention Tips

We love knowing that we were able to treat a child’s foot or ankle condition through the use of conservative care, but even better is knowing that an issue was prevented from developing in the first place. There are several measures that can be taken to help reduce the risk of foot or ankle problems.

Some of the top preventative foot care measures include:

• Shoes – Remember, shoes need to be appropriate for the activity a child does, and they should fit correctly.
• Weight management – There are many benefits to be gained by encouraging your son or daughter to participate in physical activities, including keeping his or her weight in a normal range. This will lead to less stress on the feet and ankles!
• Stretches – Sever’s disease is not necessarily preventable, but a regular stretching routine can keep your child’s Achilles tendons and calf muscles limber, which will help relieve tension in the back of the heel.