Kids have foot pain just like adults, but because of their rapidly growing bones and tendons, they often have confusing symptoms and need to be treated in different ways.

Some kids are simply born with unbalanced feet. Arches that are really high (cavus feet) or practically non-existent  arches (flat feet or calcaneal valgus) are common, with varying symptoms. Some kids walk and run quite strangely, often tripping and falling. Some kids have severe problems fitting shoes or wearing them out rapidly. Many kids experience "growing pains" or cramps in their feet and lower legs - these are never normal despite what many pediatrician's are taught to believe. Heavier kids have more foot related issues, but skinny kids have foot pain too. Foot pain in kids can lead them to avoid exercise, slip into sedentary activities, and gain weight. This can  lead to the development of diabetes with the myriad of health issues resulting thereof.

Kids with abnormal feet and gait issues often suffer from exercise pains and overuse sports injuries.  The most 

The most common is calcaneal apophysitis, a.k.a. Sever's disease, a.k.a. "pediatric heel pain".  These kids have pain in their growth plate that worsens with activity. I saw a lot of this in recent weeks due to early season football, late baseball seasons, and soccer. The cleats and the increased activity are the beginning of the perfect storm of pediatric heel pain. Add to that the love of being barefoot and flip flops, we have an early fall epidemic of heel pain. The good news is that pediatric heel pain is often pretty easy to treat if you focus on the cause, improper biomechanics, or foot imbalances.

Other common foot type related ailments seen in kids are posterior tibial tendinitis (pain and swelling in the largest tendon that holds up your arch), Achilles tendinitis (pain in the largest tendon on the back of your heel), shin splints (pain in the front of your shin bone or lower legs), and Osgood-Schlatter's disease (pain and swelling in the growth plate just below your knee). These are also treated primarily by realigning the biomechanics of the child's foot.

Kids with gait issues may in-toe or out-toe causing further muscle and joint imbalances. Some kids are even chronic toe walkers. These types of issues can be foot type related or can be caused by some underlying nerve issues. Orthotics (shoe inserts to balance abnormal foot function) and physical therapy are usually very helpful.

Of course, kids also can suffer from traumatic sprains and strains as well as stress fractures and fractures.  

What else do we see in kids? Lots and lots of ingrown toenails and pesky warts. Skin and nail issues are abundant and seem to be ignored all summer long. I implore all parents to take a look at their kid's feet and nails. Little problems become big headaches when not addressed. A simple ingrown toenail can become a huge abscess when picked at repeatedly by your child.

Is your child needle shy? (like so many adults?) We have just received our state-of-the-art vibration anesthesia device. It works by confusing nerve signals so that a needle stick is almost always painless.