If your child is complaining about sore feet, you’re not alone. Thousands of Aussie kids face common childhood foot problems ranging from delayed walking, heel pain and growing pains through to ingrown toenails.
Whether they’re experiencing foot pain at night, when they first wake up or when playing sports, it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the problem and know what is and isn’t normal – particularly when they live such active lives.
We recently surveyed Australian parents to discover what common foot conditions their children were experiencing.
Here were the common childhood foot problems:
- Growing pains – 25.9%
- Sever’s Disease – 21.6%
- Flat feet – 17.2%
- Ingrown or infected toenails – 14.3%
- Plantar warts – 12.7%
- Leg alignment – 11.6%
Is your child experiencing any of these conditions?
Children’s feet and legs develop rapidly, and how they develop impacts on a child’s ability to live happy, healthy and pain-free lives.
The Healthy Little Feet study showed that around 64 per cent of Australian parents don’t realise that many common foot conditions seen in children can be genetic and passed on by their parents.
Unfortunately, our research revealed that 81 per cent of parents has never taken their child to visit a podiatrist.
It is up to parents to better understand how to properly care for their child’s feet, including who to turn to for professional advice.
Podiatrists can treat and prevent these conditions before they become lifestyle-limiting issues later in life.
As we approach the summer sports season, now is a good time to get on the front foot with your child’s foot health.
