Issues with feet can affect anyone at any age. Parents shouldn’t assume that signs of foot problems in children are merely “growing pains.
Managing children’s health is complicated enough, especially for first-time parents. It can be a struggle to truly know and even understand which signs and symptoms are temporary and which point to more serious concerns.
In truth, the professionals a The Podiatrist and Kidsnmotion agree that there are some pediatric foot problems that resolve themselves with growth and time. However, there are clear signs when children need medical help.
Common foot problems can range from pediatric flat foot, toe walking, in-toeing and flat or high arches to tarsal coalitions (an abnormal bridge of tissue that connects two normally separate tarsal bones plus extra bone growth — quite simply, when the bones of the feet fail to separate during fetal development).
While these conditions of the feet and their treatments are different, they share some common signs that show parents there is a problem that needs to be addressed:
- Pain, swelling and redness that does not subside
- Development of thick calluses in one area of the foot
- Problems with the way your child walks
- Shins or thighbones that appear to turn inward
- Ankles that are weak or easily give out
As much as your child’s general health and well-being is important, do not ignore symptoms; foot health is just as important as any other medical examination.
There are several treatment options for these conditions. Whether a less invasive approach — such as shoe modifications, orthotic devices and physical therapy — or a more intensive intervention — such as bracing, steroid injections or even surgery — is needed, The Podiatrist can advise parents on which treatment offers the best long-term prognosis.
If you believe that a family member is experiencing any of the above symptoms, perhaps it’s time to seek professional help and book a consultation for a thorough examination, diagnosis and possible treatment with The Podiatrist.
Anyone from a well-conditioned athlete to the most inactive person can experience an ankle injury. Ankle injuries usually involve a sudden, unexpected loss of balance that results in a sharp twist of the ankle.
A strain occurs when a muscle or tendon overstretches. A sprain, which is more serious, occurs when the strong connective tissue that connects one bone to another (ligaments) become overstretched. In some cases, a ligament tears and may pull a fragment of bone with it. When a piece of bone is pulled away, it’s known as an avulsion fracture.
Everyone’s bone architecture is a little different and the arrangement of bone and muscle leaves us prone to injury. Uneven leg length, excessive pronation (flat feet), cavus foot (high arches), knee and hip alignment (bow legged or knock-knee) all play a part in creating weak points where injury may occur.
Sports-related injuries are part of the game and as athletes are becoming stronger, faster and better conditioned, higher energy injuries are becoming more common. Foot and ankle injuries are frequently designated as a sprain, which often minimizes the severity of the injury.
A healthy foot is necessary for running and push-off. These seemingly simple sprains can be devastating to the running athlete, often requiring an extended period of time to recover.
An ankle sprain is very common in normal daily activities – sports or otherwise. Although painful, it usually doesn’t cause any long-term problems, if treated properly.
However, if untreated, it can produce longer lasting problems, such as decreased strength, balance, flexibility and increased risk of re-injury. For the first 24 to 48 hours your ankle will probably swell and might even show some bruising. Minimize this by using the RICE formula – Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. Depending on the severity of the injury you may require physical treatments to restore joint range of motion, strength and joint stability.
See The Podiatrist if you have any problems.
Sore feet are not only uncomfortable; they can put a big dent in your productivity and turn even the simplest task into a burdensome chore. Causes for sore feet can range from ill-fitting shoes to physical deformities, but luckily there are as many different solutions as there are problems; the trick is finding what works best for you. Many common foot problems like heel spurs, flat feet and torn ligaments can be solved best by using bio-mechanical intervention that can range from drug store variety inserts to custom-made orthotic devices.
Determining the Problem
To find the source of sore feet, start with the obvious culprit, ill-fitting shoes that do not provide the proper support for your body frame. So called “sensible shoes” with low profiles, sturdy arches and ankle support often provide instant relief from minor foot issues caused by inappropriate footwear. Under some conditions, like standing on hard or uneven surfaces all day, additional relief can be provided by drug store inserts that create a layer of cushioning for your feet to reduce the impact of each step. If these simple tactics do not yield favorable results, it is wise to consult with The Podiatrist to examine your feet to determine if you are suffering from treatable foot maladies that would benefit from custom-made orthotic devices.
The Podiatrist can examine your foot to determine if your problem results from an injury to or is the result of the way your foot functions in relation to the rest of your body. Injuries from sports and recreational activities can often be cured by providing proper support during the recuperation process so that the injury is not irritated and can heal properly. These types of inserts, pads and braces are temporary and will eventually become unnecessary.
If the problem lies in the basic structure of your foot, however, a more permanent orthotic will be recommended that is strategically designed to make your foot function correctly when you take a step. A cast of your foot is made and The Podiatrist uses this model to create the proper orthotic out of plastic, wood or rigid rubber. This kind of treatment can not only provide relief for sore feet, it can also have a direct impact on your legs and torso because it subtly changes your posture and corrects muscular issues that stemmed from improper balance.
See The Podiatrist for any foot problems.
Heel pain affects a large portion of the population, often resulting in visits to The Podiatrist. Plantar fasciitis is typically the diagnosis the patient receives during the visit; however, plantar fasciitis is only one potential cause of heel pain. The plantar fascia is a strong, dense strip of tissue that runs from the heel to the ball of the foot. Its sole job is to support the arch of the foot. .
It is easy to see how the plantar fascia may be causing all this pain as the foot impacts the ground when you think about how often the full weight of the body is concentrated on the plantar fascia. This forces it to stretch as the arch of the foot flattens from the full weight of the body, possibly leading to stress where the plantar fascia attaches at the heel bone. If this keeps up, the result can be pain caused by small tears of the fascia.
If it is not the plantar fascia then what else could be causing my heel pain?
Calf muscle weakness (muscles on the back of the lower leg) can result in referred pain directly to the heel.This is seen after someone has changed/added a workout program or modified the type of shoes they wear. This adds additional stress to the calf muscles that they may not have been ready for and lead small areas of irritation in the muscles.>
Calf muscle tightness – this causes the connective tissue surrounding the muscle to pull harder on the Achilles tendon leading to tightness at the heel, possibly resulting in the pain you’re feeling.
Sciatic nerve irritation – the nerve that runs from the low back through the hip and down the leg to the foot can get tight or pinched not allowing the nerve to move easily as you walk. This can lead to irritation of the nerve causing pain that is located at the heel. This is very common for anyone with any history of low back pain or hip pain.
Poor Posture – if you sit slumped forward most of the day the muscles and structures from the back of your neck, upper back, lower back, and hips can get tight and shortened, consequently pulling on the heel.>
Weakness of the muscles around the hip can cause muscles in the leg to shorten to help stabilize, consequently pulling on the heel.>
Why is this so confusing?
It may be hard for you to pinpoint the cause of heel pain yourself because the symptoms are the same for all of the above listed causes. No matter what the cause, you will experience pain on or around the heel when weight is placed on the foot. This is usually worse in the morning, especially with the first few steps after getting out of bed. In most cases, there is no pain at night, but this is not a rule as many of our patients report increased pain at night. Pain of typical plantar fasciitis is typically believed to decrease over the course of the day as the tissue warms up; however, patients have also reported increased discomfort as the day progresses, leading on to investigate other areas as the source or cause. Additionally, prolonged standing, walking, or getting up after long periods of sitting are commonly reported with all of the above causes. Again, the reports can be as varied as the potential causes.
Activities that make the pain worse:
Excessive running or jumping
Changing physical activity (especially for athletes)
High arches, flat feet, abnormal gait
Wearing improper shoes while walking or running
The Steps to Relieve Heel Pain
In most cases, heel pain does not require surgery and can be treated conservatively, but the first step is to obtain an evaluation by The Podiatrist who can help pin point the actual cause of the pain that’s specific to you. It is important to not treat the symptom of heel pain, but to isolate and treat the cause.
The Podiatrist may then recommend treatment , depending on the needs of your particular condition. In extremely painful conditions, your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medications, and in severe cases give you a cortisone shot to address excessive inflammation.
Most people with heel pain get better with the help of The Podiatrist, but don’t wait. The longer you “live” with the pain the longer it may take to get rid of it as your body adapts. Most acute cases (less than 30 days) can get better within 6-8 weeks. Additionally, treatment should include activities that directly address the cause of your heel pain and are designed to include you in the healing process, so your participation is critical.
The Podiatrist specializes in the treatment and management of all foot related problems and will assess what is the cause of your foot/heel pain, not the symptom.
For more information or to find out if you are a good candidate for our services contact The Podiatrist
Flat feet and turned feet are commonly seen in young children.
Flat feet happen when the arch of the foot is flatter than normal. It can be much flatter than normal. While flat feet are seen in people of all ages, it is most noticed at first in children. In many cases, the arch will form with age. However, for some children, the flattening causes painful feet.
Flat feet become more noticeable when the child starts to walk, and by the age of 3 the arch should be able to be seen during walking. If the feet are still flat at this age, then parents should have their child’s feet examined by The Podiatrist. If the arch is not looked at, then the child risks long term damage to the feet.
Turned feet can be noticed even before a child starts to walk.
Your child’s feet should not be turned in or out excessively. The foot should not be upward resting on or too near the leg. When holding your baby, the feet should hang naturally and similarly – one should not be turned out, in up or down more than the other. Many early foot deformities can occur only on one side.
Signs of a flat foot are a low or flat arch, an outward turned heel during walking.
The child may complain of sore or tired feet after walking or playing. Children with painful flat feet sometimes have trouble keeping up with friends because their feet get too sore or tired. If the arch is too flat, then foot muscles and joints have to work harder than normal during walking and running. Flat feet also change how the ankles, knees, legs, hips, and back work, and so there may also be pain and tiredness in these places.
Depending on the examination and history of the problem, The Podiatrist may decide to treat the flat feet. If the flat feet are mild, and if the child is still very young, The Podiatrist may simply want to see the child back in a few months. This way we can re-check the arches. If the flat feet are more severe, then treatment may be started. Usually treatment begins with exercise and foot inserts, or orthotics. The orthotics will re-align the feet to help the child walk more properly. Stretches or physical therapy may also be recommended.
If you have any concerns about your child and their feet, contact The Podiatrist.
Nobody loves their jandals more than us Kiwis. As the warmer weather approaches (we hope), we start digging out the jandals.
They’re so easy and breezy, such an obvious choice, especially when summer reaches its peak and the holidays are in full swing.
But the next time you reach into the closet and pull out your favorite pair, be aware: You could be opening a Pandora’s box of podiatry problems.
Your favorite sassy and affordable flats are an unstable form of footwear, known to wreak havoc on arches, heels and toes, says The Podiatrist.
It’s a disaster waiting to happen. And sure, many people make it through just fine. But the shoes are a problem.
Here are the of wearing the favourite Kiwi fashion accessory and the risks and some tips
Tension for the toes: Wearing jandals may feel like the next-best thing to going barefoot, but your feet are working harder than you think. Jandals force a change in your walking stride. With each step, the toes pull down on the shoe to stabilize the foot against the ground. Your foot has to step forward a little quicker. It’s trying to keep the flip-flop on. The result, is toe pain and stubbed toes.
Bound for blisters: The classic jandal features two straps sprouting from between the first two toes. Everyone dislikes how the rubbing triggers blisters. Problem is, there’s no other place for toes to hang on to the sandal.
Arch of no triumph: Spend too much time walking in jandals, and the muscles that hold up the foot’s arch start to fatigue. Arch pain comes when those muscles change the way they function just to keep you moving along. Runners, hyper-fast walkers and heavier folks will feel this more often.
Plant this: About 15 percent of all adult foot injuries involve plantar fasciitis, that awful pain that comes from the tissue stretching from your heel, through the arch to the toes. It’s impossible to ban jandals, especially in the tropical environment, so if you’re going to the beach, wear your jandals, but don’t take your four kilometre morning walk in jandals. Don’t walk around the Malls doing Christmas shopping in jandals, and don’t go sight seeing on holiday and walk around all day in jandals, because you’re just looking for trouble.
Fractured feet: Stress fractures, often on the top of the foot ,typically don’t come from an injury, but from normal activity. With a stress fracture, you might as well trade in your jandals for an immobilizing foot boot.
Domino effect: One andals injury can lead to more problems, he says. You start walking differently and then your ankle hurts, your knee hurts, your back hurts. It works its way up. People with existing chronic health problems can unknowingly put themselves at risk, too. Anyone with balance problems or foot instability should not consider jandals. Those with diabetes or circulation problems should be careful, as foot punctures and extreme pressure on the balls of your foot can lead to blisters and ulcers.
Hot foot: Everyone has, at one time or another, forgotten to put sunscreen on the top of their jandaled feet. The resulting sunburn is painful enough, but those blisters can evolve into even more serious problems.
Be cautious: Jandals are not the proper footwear for yard work or backyard play. The Podiatrist urges common sense. If you’re mowing, pulling weeds are using a shovel, pull on a sturdy pair of shoes. If you’re getting ready to play catch, touch football or horseshoes, grab your sneakers. You can slip back into your jandals when you’re done.
For all your footcare needs and advice- visit The Podiatrist