Pediatric Foot and Ankle Care Services

What You Need To Know

A parent’s guide to recognizing and addressing common pediatric foot concerns.

Caring for Your Child’s Growing Feet

Children’s feet are different to that of adults. When they are young, their bones are still very soft and are therefore more easily affected by abnormal pressure and forces. It is important to nurture our children’s feet, as most of the issues we see in adults have stemmed from issues as children. The younger a child is assessed and diagnosed, the easier it is to treat and manage the issue.

You should bring your child to our office any time your child experiences foot pain or when you or your child notices an abnormality in the appearance of their feet. Pain in children is never normal and can be a sign of an injury, infection, or biomechanical issue that needs addressing.

As early as infancy, you can see abnormalities in the feet, like club feet. Once your child starts walking, you may notice they prefer to walk on their toes or walk with their toes pointed inward or outward. These are all warning signs that something is wrong with the development of your child’s feet. In many cases, these problems persist into adulthood if left untreated.

Common pediatric concerns include flat feet, in-toeing, out-toeing, toe walking, knock knees, bowlegs, leg length differences, growing pains, limping, ingrown toenails, plantar warts, and Sever’s disease. If at 15 to 16 months your child is not yet walking, an assessment is recommended.

Our providers will consult with you to ensure your child’s feet and ankles are healthy and functioning properly. Prompt treatment is always best, and the sooner you seek care, the less treatment your child typically requires.

Shoes, Orthotics, and Healthy Habits

Infants don’t need to wear shoes and should have unlimited freedom of movement to allow their feet to grow and develop normally. Once your child is walking, allow them to walk barefoot inside the house and wear shoes with wide toe boxes when outdoors. A shoe with a wide toe box allows your child’s foot to stretch normally and helps build the muscles of the foot.

One of the most important milestones in your child’s life is their first steps. Most children will take their first steps between nine and twelve months, though all children develop at their own pace. When your child begins to walk, they will generally hold their arms high and their feet out wide for balance. As their balance improves, their feet should gradually close in and their arms should drop to their side.

For children and teenagers, custom orthotics can help to restore correct foot and ankle posture during the critical years of physical development. Custom orthotics may be recommended early in development for correcting abnormal flat feet and in-toeing problems, helping to prevent complications later in life.

If your child participates in sports, we can recommend sports-specific shoes to protect their feet. Custom orthotics and taping can also be helpful if your child has injured their feet or ankles and needs support to recover.

Please check your child’s feet regularly. If you see anything that doesn’t look right, visit our office for advice. Our goal is to guide growing feet to a happy future, whether that requires immediate treatment or long-term monitoring.