Check In With Your Kid’s Foot Health

Check In With Your Kid’s Foot Health

Want to keep your kids in the loop on foot health and safety this summer? Though it’s almost time to go back to school, it’s never too early (or too late!) to get started. Did you know that physically active kids are especially vulnerable to injuring their feet or ankles between the ages of 12-15 years? During this time, most children and young adults are still finishing up the development of some bones in their feet. There is even a bone in their heels that forms a protective plate which isn’t done fully forming until around 15 years of age. At Family Foot & Ankle Center, it’s never too early to get smart about being active.

Think about what kind of sports or other activities your kids are into. Do they run track? Play lacrosse? Maybe they’re on the cheerleading squad or in the band at school. While sports like track and lacrosse involve more frequent high-impact than sports or activities like cheerleading and band, a vulnerable foot is a vulnerable foot!

Here’s a quick and easy way to assess your child’s foot and ankle health: check in with them after a long day of activity. Ask your child if anything on their body hurts today. You could introduce the question by saying “Wow, you must be sore today after all that running around!” If they ever hint that their feet or ankles are experiencing any aching pain or discomfort, it’s time to talk about their shoes.

When was the last time you bought your child a new pair of shoes? If it’s been over 6 months, you may want to take a closer look at the pair they wear most often. Because of how fast kids grow and how active some kids will be throughout the year, their shoes may wear out quickly and need to be replaced more frequently. In the long run, this investment in new shoes and custom orthotics is worth it - you could easily be preventing your child from developing foot and ankle related problems later in life like bunions, plantar fasciitis, flat arches, poor circulation, and weak ankles.

Now that you’ve checked in with your child about their foot and ankle health, it’s time to take the next step! Get them started on the right foot by establishing care early on in life with a trusted podiatrist. Call us today at (408) 732-0033 and schedule your next appointment with Dr. Alan J. Discont at our location in Chandler, Arizona!