5 common foot & ankle injuries in children & teenagers

  1. Common foot problems in children are almost invariably related to wrong foot wear, poor hygiene and family genetics. Top three of these problems in my clinical practice would be
    1. Flat foot with easy fatigability and pain
    2. Injuries while playing
    3. Toe deformity (mallet toe, hammer toe and hallux valgus)


  1. All the above-mentioned problems can be due to improper foot wear. Improper foot wear is a common reason behind many of the kids coming to my clinic where they complain of pain in foot while playing or repeated injuries due to poorly designed shoes or toe deformities due to lack of room in their shoes.
  2. Some of the factors which should be considered while buying a good foot wear for your child should be
    1. Comfort and light weight
    2. Wide and high toe box with room to wriggle toes (an inch of space in front of the longest toe)
    3. A soft heel counter with a well-padded support to cradle the Achilles tendon and heel bone
    4. A good protective and breathable material used to make the shoe
    5. Shoes preferably with laces which allow a snug fit onto the foot
  3. A healthy foot care routine for kids should be
    1. Wash your feet daily before going to bed
    2. Inspect your foot for anything abnormal (swelling, redness, nail color changes, callosity, wounds)
    3. Trim your nails regularly with a clipper in one straight line to avoid in growing toe nails
    4. Wear the right size of shoe with socks
    5. Wear the right kind of shoe which the activity demands (basketball shoes for playing basket ball etc.)
    6. Stretch your calf muscles and ankle ligaments before play or running sports.
    7. Cleanse your shoes and socks regularly (Keep an alternate pair)
    8. Do not ignore pain or repeated injuries and visit a foot ankle orthopedic surgeon

Dr Shakti Swaroop
Consultant Orthopedic & foot and ankle specialist

Blog Resources : https://footankleortho.com/5-common-foot-ankle-injuries-in-children-teenagers/

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