The new school year is looming, and your to-do list is probably getting longer. School uniforms, lunch boxes, text books, stationery and of course, school shoes. This last item is one we can help you with.
We have excellent footwear shops in Adelaide which specialise in fitting school shoes for children. But if you have any concerns at all about your kids’ feet, please pop into the clinic so that we can assess and diagnose any issues. As with many health concerns, the sooner you get onto it, the better the outcome.
Children’s feet are changing all the time and many things impact the growth and development of their feet. Their height, weight, the sports they do, how much walking and running they do, the shoes they wear and genetics will all influence the development of their feet. Sometimes this development process needs a little extra support.
Here are a series of articles which answer questions about children’s feet, developmental problems and how to choose the right shoes for school and other activities.
1. Have you noticed they are walking differently?
Foot problems in children can go unnoticed for a long time. When kids feel pain in their feet, they tend to try and adapt by changing their gait or posture to ease the discomfort so that they can keep up with their friends at school. However, this can lead to other problems such as a misalignment of the foot, or ankle, knee and back pain.
Here are six signs to look out for that may indicate your child’s feet need some extra attention.
2. The characteristics of a good quality and supportive school shoe
Shoes are one of the most expensive items you will purchase when heading back to school. Laces, Velcro or buckles, leather shoes or trainers? With so many options for individual preferences, we’ve narrowed down the most essential elements of a good quality school shoe to help you choose the right one.
How to choose the right school shoes for your children
3. The 10 most common foot problems in children that we see in our podiatry clinic
Foot pain is not normal and an indication that something needs attention. If your child is experiencing foot pain, it’s important to seek professional assistance and we recommend this sooner than later.
If you can diagnose and act on conditions while the feet are still developing and growing in young children, then you’ll have a much better chance of correcting the problem before it becomes permanent.
4. Growing pains or Severs disease?
Growing pains are a reality for children and if they love their sports, repetitive activity can affect one or both of their heels and cause quite a bit of pain. Children between the ages of 7-14 years who are active and play regular sports but experience heel pain afterward, may have Severs Disease.
Severs disease is not actually a disease, it’s a condition related to growing pain in feet. It’s a common complaint in children after repetitive stress on the heel bone. It’s important to treat Severs Disease and alleviate continuing pressure on the heel so that your kids can continue their much loved activities without further pain or long term damage.
5. Kids and warts – how to manage and prevent them
Without medical treatment, 65% of common warts will go away on their own but this may take up to two years. As plantar warts are on the soles of the feet, they can cause discomfort and even intense foot pain. We recommend getting them attended to as soon as you can, especially in young children who quickly learn to compensate for pain and alter their gait accordingly. This can lead to other structural problems in their feet, legs and hips.
Make an appointment with the Sanders family-friendly podiatry team
We specialise in young growing feet. Children’s feet are changing constantly as they grow. At times they may need a little extra support to help them develop a strong and flexible foundation for a well aligned and balanced posture.
We’ll assess their feet, their gait and provide a program of treatment if needed.
Our podiatry clinics are located in Adelaide, Stirling and Mount Barker.
Sander Podiatry Adelaide – 08 8379 1456 (Greenhill Podiatry)