Parent’s guide to foot heath of their athletics kids

As parents, we need to keep our kids active, and always try to limit their screen time by filling it with sports.  This will also help them to be healthier and also get used to a healthy lifestyle; however, one fundamental requirement is having healthy feet.

This depends on several factors:

-Hygiene is very important and that the kids don’t wear the same shoes every day. They need to switch shoes very often to allow them dry. This also applies to the socks and that they should change them every day. When washing feet, they need to wash carefully all surfaces of the feet including the area between toes, preferably with a body wash or soap as water alone may not be able to clean them properly.
-They should avoid walking on bare feet as it can easily exposes their feet to sharps and can cause injury and infection. If they walk on glass, and if glass gets inside their skin, X-ray will not show it, and it will require MRI.
-It is often helpful to protect ankles by taping them to avoid spraints or fractures

It should be also noted that depending on the type of sport, kids can develop different foot related problems. For example, if a kid plays basketball, the risk of injury is mainly for ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the thick band of tissue on the sole of the foot) and tendinitis. To reduce the risk of foot injury, you need to choose a shoe with high ankle support, shock absorption and a thick and stiff sole. The most common injuries for a kid playing soccer are heel pain and shin splints. Soccer shoes shall have multiple cleats in the heel area and also require enough room for wearing thick soccer socks. Tennis players, due to their quick shifting of weight and fast lateral movements have higher risk of injuries for ankle sprains, , corns or calluses and plantar fasciitis.

Imagine if your kid develops chronic foot problems, they won’t be eager to be physically active and participate in sports. It is therefore very important to make sure their feet are heathy, similar to their other body parts. In summary, healthy feet can lead to more physical activity and less screen time, which is the dream of every parent!

If your kid has any foot related issue, make sure to have it addressed quickly. Our podiatrists at Lagunawoods Podiatry group are specialized in diagnosing and treating variety of different foot related problems and help your kids remain active!