Help Your Young Athlete Protect Their Feet with These Tricks
Apr 10, 2024
Basketball, football, and soccer are popular among children and teens. They’re excellent ways for children to make friends, stay in shape, and get the exercise they need.
While sports are great for kids and adults alike, they can lead to injuries if you're not careful. Kids are especially prone to foot injuries if they don't take the time to warm up, cool down, and stretch.
Good news, though – you can prevent your child from having foot problems with some simple lifestyle tips and tricks. Dr. Daniel Cairns and our Toe-Tal Foot and Ankle Care team offer pediatric foot care for your young athlete.
Dr. Cairns is an experienced podiatrist providing treatments and prevention measures for various foot injuries and issues.
Foot injuries can happen to anyone – from stepping off a curb or simply overusing your feet. Athletes, including kids and teens, are especially prone to foot injuries.
Sports are an excellent option for kids and teens, providing them with discipline, exercise, and friendship — but they come with a price if they're not careful. Injuries can happen suddenly or develop over time.
Foot injuries are prevalent because the feet take the brunt of your child's weight. Some of the common foot problems in kids and teens include:
Foot problems can happen suddenly, such as a fracture or ligament tear, or over time from repetitive use. Stress fractures and Achilles tendonitis are examples of overuse injuries.
Kids are resilient, but you don't want them to suffer an injury they can prevent. Dr. Cairns offers the following tips to keep your child's feet healthy during and after the sports season:
The shoes your child wears are an essential for preventing foot injuries. Choose shoes that offer your child support and are comfortable for long periods.
It's not an exact science, but a good rule of thumb is to replace sneakers about every 500 miles – especially for runners.
Warming up and cooling down before a game or practice allows the muscles, ligaments, and tendons to get blood flow and be more pliable. Starting a game on stiff muscles is a recipe for disaster, especially in the feet.
Pain is never a good sign and usually means something is wrong. If your child complains of pain before, during, or after a game or practice, don't let them continue playing without an evaluation.
Stretching is an essential aspect of being an athlete. Your child works their muscles and body hard throughout the season, so stretching is vital.
Overusing the feet is a real possibility with kids and sports. Running, jumping, and pivoting are all essential aspects of many sports, which can take a toll on your child's feet over time.
Although practice makes perfect, your child must have rest days between practice and games. Overworking the feet leads to chronic problems and acute injuries.
Athlete's foot is a real issue among young athletes, especially in the locker rooms, showers, and around the pool. Ensure your child wears flip-flops or foot protection in the locker room to prevent a painful and contagious foot infection.
Anytime your child complains about pain, it's a concern; how do you know when it's time to come in and see us? It's sometimes difficult as a parent to determine when professional treatment is necessary but go with your gut.
After a foot injury, seeking treatment to prevent further issues with your child's foot is a good idea. For minor injuries, you can have the athletic trainer evaluate the injury and use the RICE method for a few days.
However, if pain doesn't improve in 2-3 days, or if there's swelling and bruising, see Dr. Cairns as soon as possible for an evaluation.
Having your child see Dr. Cairns is also essential if the foot is difficult to move or there’s pain when bearing weight. Any sign of a limp or discoloration is also a good indicator that we should evaluate your child's foot.
Dr. Cairns examines your child's foot and may order an X-ray or MRI to determine whether there’s bone, tendon, or ligament damage. He then offers customized treatments based on your child's needs.
If your child has a foot injury, don't hesitate to call us at 817-518-7348 to schedule an appointment or click here to book a consultation with Dr. Cairns.