STARTING OFF RIGHT

Parents often spend a great deal of time worrying about their children's eyes, teeth, and other highly visible parts of the body. But what about their feet?

If foot health is neglected early in life, other physical problems may follow. Good foot care should be primary.

·         Don't depend on a child to complain about foot trouble. Growing feet are flexible enough to be distorted without causing pain.

·         Be wary about walking barefoot. Infants and young children don't always need shoes for foot stability, but without foot protection, their feet are subject to cuts and sprains.

·         Study your child's walking patterns despite obvious problems - flat feet, towing in or out, or knock knees, for example. These abnormalities can usually be treated if detected at an early age. And if they are not corrected, they can lead to fatigue, bunions, hammer toes, heel spurs, and other deformities when your child is an adult.

·         If your child is involved in sports, provide proper shoes and, if necessary, provide taping.

·         If your child is not participating in sports or other physical activities, the reason could be that they are suffering from pain due to a foot, ankle, or secondary condition due to faulty biomechanics.

Children’s feet should not hurt. Be sure to read our corresponding article, 10 Warning Signs That Your Child Is Suffering From A Foot, Ankle, or Secondary Condition to learn more.

If you or someone that you care for suffers from pain in the feet, ankles, knees, hips, and/or lower back, the pain may be due to misalignment caused by faulty biomechanics which can be treated and corrected with the help of custom orthotic insoles.  To schedule your comprehensive biomechanical evaluation, use our contact form or call our Sports Medicine Podiatry Center and book an appointment at our Cherry Hill, N.J. Sports Medicine Facility or Ridley Park, P.A. Office location with one of our podiatric sports medicine specialists today by calling (610) 522-9200.