Children's Feet

There is no such thing as normal foot pain for a child. When a child complains of foot pain the parents take them to the pediatrician and he just says "he will outgrow it." Sound familiar? The most common pain is when he or she wakes up in the middle of night with a leg cramp. This is commonly called "growing pain." This should not be a concern if they occur infrequently. When it occurs, have the child stand and "walk it off." If it is a nightly occurrence, like several times a week, you should visit your doctor.
But it is a bigger concern if the child has pain when standing, walking, or running. These can be caused by biomechanical imbalance that cause instability of the leg and foot. This is when a visit to a podiatrist is highly recommended. Usually a custom orthotic will be prescribed.

Flat Feet and Children

Parents often wonder if their child's flat feet should be of a concern. Most children have no symptoms but they may appear to walk or run awkwardly. There could be a complaint of pain or cramping in their feet, legs or knees. Parents may think these are just growing pains. But growing should never hurt. Any pain or difficulty with a child's feet should be evaluated by a podiatrist.
Ignoring your child's flat feet can result in lasting damage that could continue to cause problems throughout his life.

My Dr. says I have a stress fracture in my foot. What is that?

A stress fracture occurs when muscles become fatigued or overloaded and cannot absorb the stress and shock of repeated impact. Fatigued muscles transfer that stress to bone that is nearby and you have the result of a small crack or fracture, in the bone.
Stress fractures in the foot are usually caused by overuse. They can also be caused by repeated pounding on a hard surface, like running on concrete. Improper footwear during sports activities can contribute also.
Women seem to be at a greater risk of stress fractures because of osteoporosis (thinning of the bones). This results in decreased bone density which is a risk for stress fractures.
The best treatment for a stress fracture is rest. If rest isn't followed through then chronic problems such as a larger and more persistent stress fracture can develop. Re-injury may result in a chronic foot problem and the fracture might never heal properly. At the Advanced Footcare Clinic we usually put a patient with a stress fracture into a soft cast (not a fiberglass cast) and an MC Walker boot to help immobilize (or rest) the foot.

With warmer weather finally here you may be thinking of how your feet look after being in boots or shoes with heavier socks on all winter.
Pamper your feet by soaking them in warm water with Tea Tree soaks added to the water. Tea Tree crystals deodorize and clean the feet.
Then inspect for any calluses or thicken areas of skin. Right after a shower is the best time to use pumice stone to scrap away any calluses. Don't ever use a razor blade! At Advanced Footcare Clinic we recommend Gormel 20. This is a cream that contains 20% urea which is the highest amount of urea that you can purchase without a prescription. This Gormel helps to exfoliate and moisturize any calluses and roughen areas on your feet.
If you want nail polish on the nails we recommend that one week out of the month you let your nails "air" out by being polish free.
Inspect your sandals from last year. If look very worn then they need to be disposed of.