Children's Foot Problems - Advanced Podiatry

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Parents may often forget about their children’s foot health. Due to the flexibility and resilience of a child’s foot tissue, foot pain and related symptoms are not as common as they are for adults, except for the heel growth plate, as bones may grow faster than the underlying structure of muscle and tendon, causing tightness and tension in a child’s foot.

Children may experience growing pains such as Sever’s disease in their heel, or even a relatively rare deformity at birth known as clubfoot. Of course, other medical conditions can lead to various children foot deformities. Older children may also experience large amounts of sweat and odorous conditions while growing. Additionally, children may experience ingrown toenails, in which treatment would be a good option.

In-toe and out-toe walking are two other conditions that may begin at birth for a child. Feet either point inward or outward, increasing the chance of the child tripping. These two conditions are usually part of normal development, subsiding after age 2. Treatment is generally reserved for severe cases, such as if ankle direction is skewed inward ...
... or outward as the child grows up.

Another foot problem that children may be dealing with is flat foot, or when the arch of the foot has collapsed. Flat foot can cause aching and even inward rolling of the ankle. Children’s foot arch supports and supportive shoes are recommended for flat feet to ensure proper support for foot development and overall body weight as the child grows older.

Attention to footwear early on can help children minimize foot problem risks as they grow into adulthood, since poorly fitting shoes for children can cause a number of future foot problems.

Children may want to visit a podiatrist if pain or lumps on the legs or feet occur, tripping or falling occurs, skin or toenail problems arise, or if most shoes fit unevenly.