TIP from Dr. Murray:
When choosing cleats, make sure they have removable insoles so orthotics can be inserted. 

Soccer is constantly immersed in a dynamic of strategic change and physical demand as players become stronger, faster, more agile, and fit at younger ages. Manufacturers of soccer cleats are now required to meet the needs of youth and adolescent players by integrating concepts previously reserved for the elite professional player.

During the progressions of a typical 90-minute professional or international match a player will frequently cover 8,000 to 11,000 meters. Two-thirds of the total distance covered is generally associated with walking and jogging and one-third is associated cruising, sprinting and backing. Approximately 800 meters of each game requires bursts of 10-40 meters. Within these movements there is a change of speed every 5-6 seconds. Such activity requires a most supportive and comfortable cleat construct.

Although youth soccer players might not come within a fraction of running as much as or as forcefully as those in the professional game, soccer shoe development teams have recently incorporated into their shoes the most important characteristics required for supportive and comfortable play.

(click here to read the rest of this article from AAPSM)

Indoors and outdoors, youth athletes stay active year-round in competitive sports. And for many of them, heel pain has become "just another part of the game." The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons advises that, when a child complains of heel pain, it should be diagnosed promptly, because it may be a warning sign of a serious foot problem.

Dr. Karl Collins, DPM, FACFAS, a St. Louis-area foot and ankle surgeon, says heel pain occurs frequently in children ages 6 to 14 as their feet grow and the heel bone develops. "As children become more active in sports, they increase their risk for growth plate injuries and subsequent heel pain," says Collins. This is especially true during the school year, when surgeons see an increase in middle- and high-school athletes experiencing heel pain from sports.

"New bone forms in an area behind the heel, known as the growth plate, and cartilage is vulnerable to severe inflammation from strain or stress. With repeated stresses and strains from overactivity, the heel becomes very painful," Collins explains.

Even though growth plate trauma is the leading cause of heel pain in young people, Collins says the condition can be difficult to diagnose. He cautions that parents should be concerned if a child has pain in the back or bottom of the heel, limps, walks on the toes, or seems to have difficulty participating in normal recreational activities. To diagnose the condition, foot and ankle surgeons examine the child's foot and leg, and often take imaging tests to rule out other serious causes of heel pain, such as bursitis, tendonitis and fractures.

In most cases, mild or moderate heel pain can be treated successfully with shoe inserts to soften the impact on the heel, anti-inflammatory medications, stretching and physical therapy. In severe cases, the foot and ankle will be immobilized in a cast. In some instances, surgery may be necessary.

Heel pain in young people often returns after treatment, because the growth plate is still forming until the age of 14 or 15. However, the risk for recurrence can be lowered by choosing well-constructed shoes with good support and restricting use of spiked athletic shoes, especially on hard fields. It also is advised that young athletes avoid competition that exceeds their physical abilities.

For more information on heel pain in children, visit our website.

We got great feedback about the recipe that we included in February so

Lentil Soup with Potatoes and Swiss Chard

1 cup yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cup lentils

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large potatoes, scrubbed or peeled and diced 1/4 inch

1/2 cup celery, sliced 1/4 inch

1 cup carrots, peeled and diced 1/4 inch

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced

1 bunch Swiss chard

Pull leaves from stems of Swiss chard.  Dice stems 1/4 inch.

Sauté 1 yellow onion (chopped), garlic, celery, carrots and stems from Swiss chard in 2 tablespoons olive oil, until soft.

Add 1 quart of stock or water and bring to a boil.

Add potatoes and lentils, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. 

Cover; return to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook until lentils are tender (about 40 minutes), adding more water if necessary. 

Remove bay leaf. 

Add Swiss chard leaves to soup, mashing them down into the stock and cook until tender (5-8 minutes)

Adjust seasoning to taste with salt, pepper, fresh lemon juice or hot pepper  Serve with crusty whole-grain bread.