When you think of foot problems, children usually aren’t the ones who come to mind. But the resilience that comes with youth also means bodies that are still developing, including toes and feet.
In fact, children can experience many of the same foot issues as adults. They can even occur more frequently because of children’s developing bodies and active lifestyles.
Our team enjoys working with people of all ages at Premier Foot and Ankle Center.
Here are five common foot disorders we see in children at our locations in Worcester and Webster, Massachusetts.
Most people have heard of plantar warts, even if they haven’t had one themselves. This foot problem affects approximately 10% of individuals and 10-20% of children and teens.
Plantar warts often get confused with corns or calluses because they have a thickened, circular area of skin. In most cases, this occurs on the sole of the foot, leading to pain when standing, walking, or running.
But the telltale sign of a plantar wart is the tiny black dots that also appear in the center of the affected area.
Next on the list is the ingrown toenail. This issue can occur on any toe, but it usually develops on the biggest one.
As you might suspect, the nail begins growing into surrounding soft tissue when you have an ingrown toenail. This triggers pain, inflammation, and often an infection.
While anyone can get ingrown toenails, they’re very common in young patients. This is likely due in part to higher chances of wearing tight-fitting shoes during growth spurts.
Sometimes, children can have minor problems that correct themselves with time, but other structural issues end up requiring expert intervention.
Structural problems that can benefit from a podiatrist include:
A child can also have structural issues involving tendons, muscles, and bones that lead to problems walking. When this occurs, you might notice tiptoe walking, knocked knees, in-toeing (pigeon toes), or bow legs.
We can offer guidance on when specialized treatment could be beneficial.
If you ever experience sore feet, you’re not alone, especially after a long day. But heel pain in children can be cause for concern.
As mentioned above, children are still developing. That also means they have special areas in their bones known as growth plates.
Basically, these areas are near the ends of a bone and contain cartilage. Once a child completes development, solid bone replaces the growth plate. But before that occurs, the area is far weaker than other tissue and vulnerable to injury.
While heel pain can have a variety of causes, it’s often related to Sever’s disease in children — or inflammation of the growth plate in the heel.
Finally, you may not associate overuse injuries with children, but they’re becoming an increasingly common problem.
Regular physical activity and athletics can play a key role in raising healthy children, but they are just as susceptible to overuse injuries as adults, especially in their feet.
Two common overuse injuries we see in children involve Sever’s disease and stress fractures. Without proper treatment, these injuries can redevelop and trigger ongoing issues.
Does your child need a podiatrist? Contact Premier Foot and Ankle Center today to learn more about our services and to make an appointment.
