Rest will resolve Sever’s syndrome; stretching will keep it under control. Childhood heel pain can have many causes, but the most common is something called Sever’s syndrome. This is not a growing pain, but it is related to growing and the loss of muscle flexibility in relation to the growth of the bones.
The act of growing is primarily through our bones. So, as we grow, our bones get longer and in the process our muscles have to be stretched out to accommodate that new growth. Certain areas of a child’s body are at risk for injury because of this interplay.
One area is the heel bone. On the back side of the heel bone is a growth plate (a cartilage area where the bone grows) and attached to that growth plate is the Achilles tendon. The calf muscles that attach to the Achilles tendon will frequently lose their flexibility and then during play or increased activity there is excessive pull by the Achilles tendon on the growth plate. This results in Sever’s syndrome, a painful pulling apart of the heel growth plate.
It occurs in both boys and girls, but tends to affect girls at a younger age (8-10 years old) compared with boys (10-12 years old). While the pain starts in these younger ages, many parents will tell you that it can often linger over the growth-spurt years in particular. About 50 percent of the time, it can happen on both heels, and it often hurts worse after play than during play.
Kids who seem to be at particular risk are those who wear cleated shoes for their sports. The cleats tend to increase the forced stretch of the Achilles during play, thus increasing the force of pull at the growth plate.
The fastest method of resolving this syndrome is rest from activities. Many of our families find it difficult to take time off from sports. However, the best rule to follow as a parent is to remember that if your child is limping during play, then the child should not be playing.
Stretching is the key to long-term success of this problem. A daily routine of stretching can help alleviate this pain and prevent it from returning. It can take up to six weeks for some athletes to stretch themselves adequately.
In the meantime, a few other therapies can be used. Icing and anti-inflammatory medications can be helpful. An over-the-counter heel lift will take some pressure off the heel growth plate. Finally, a cast can be used for a short period to give the growth plate a rest. Surgery is never necessary.
You should contact, or see, your doctor if the pain is not improving after two weeks of rest, or if the pain is associated with a fever.
Showing posts with label child foot injuries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label child foot injuries. Show all posts
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
How Can I Protect My Child From Gym-Class Injuries?
Q: I just read about a new study showing that injuries in kids' physical education classes have increased by 150 percent since 1997. Now I'm worried. What are the most common types of gym-class injuries, and what can be done to help kids avoid them? How can I work with my child at home to help him prevent injuries or strain in gym class? What types of PE activities pose the greatest risk of injury to my child, and how do I, as a parent, find out about the qualifications of my child's gym teacher?
A: The study you're referring to, which was recently published in Pediatrics, a journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics, highlights that strains, sprains, and contact injuries are indeed happening in physical education classes and on school sports teams in increasing numbers each year. A variety of factors contributes to this kids' health risk, many of which can be prevented.
To start, it's important to be aware of the types of activities your child is participating in; a lot of kids get overuse injuries from engaging in physical activities that work the same groups of muscles and joints each day. Just like adults, kids need variety in the types of exercises they do. Children should not be doing the same activity every single day — they need at least one day off per week. On their day off they could do a “cross-training” activity that works different joints or muscles. This helps them develop balanced muscle strength to help prevent injuries, which is particularly true for activities like throwing a baseball.
To avoid exacerbating strained muscles and putting stress on bones, tendons, and ligaments, listen to your child if he or she complains of muscle or joint soreness or pain. Rest is a good place to start with most exercise-related injuries, especially in a growing body. As noted above, different types of activities can help avoid repetitive injury to the same joints, bones, and muscles. You can also work with your child at home on strength-training and endurance exercises, and make sure they're eating a healthy diet to support their growing bones and joints.
Some children, especially girls, may have “loose ligaments." These children are often described as very flexible and can hyperextend their arms and legs. Loose joints are at increased risk for strains and sprains. Strengthening muscle groups around the joint can act like a brace for the joint and help prevent injury. If your child has ever had a sprain, he or she is at risk for recurrence. You should talk with your pediatrician about specific exercises that your child can do to help strengthen the joint. Sometimes bracing of an ankle or knee can help give stability to avoid future injury. Appropriate and properly fitting shoes can also help decrease injuries such as shin splints and plantar fasciitis.
Exercise is especially important for children who are overweight, but be aware that being overweight puts increased stress on a child's joints, so you'll need to make sure they don't overstress their joints. In general staying slim can help decrease pressure on knees, hips, and back.
It is incredibly important that children engaging in contact sports or sports that require helmets like biking have properly fitted equipment. Another important aspect of injury prevention is to make sure your child isn't being pushed too hard in gym class or on a sports team. Today, some kids are participating in an unbelievable amount of physical activity. Sports are only getting more competitive. And some activities can create a lot of psychological issues. In wrestling and gymnastics, for instance, restrictive weight requirements can put a lot of pressure on kids. So check in with your child regularly to make sure he's not being pushed past his limits.
As for the qualifications of your child's coach or gym teacher, you're certain to run into some inconsistencies here. As schools try to initiate more physical education programs — without additional funding — it's not uncommon to find that a math or science teacher is leading a sports team, rather than a well-trained physical education instructor. For gym class, this may be less of a risk when it comes to injury, but for any intense sport that your child will be participating in regularly, you'll want to make sure the instructor has been trained specifically in that activity.
A: The study you're referring to, which was recently published in Pediatrics, a journal of The American Academy of Pediatrics, highlights that strains, sprains, and contact injuries are indeed happening in physical education classes and on school sports teams in increasing numbers each year. A variety of factors contributes to this kids' health risk, many of which can be prevented.
To start, it's important to be aware of the types of activities your child is participating in; a lot of kids get overuse injuries from engaging in physical activities that work the same groups of muscles and joints each day. Just like adults, kids need variety in the types of exercises they do. Children should not be doing the same activity every single day — they need at least one day off per week. On their day off they could do a “cross-training” activity that works different joints or muscles. This helps them develop balanced muscle strength to help prevent injuries, which is particularly true for activities like throwing a baseball.
To avoid exacerbating strained muscles and putting stress on bones, tendons, and ligaments, listen to your child if he or she complains of muscle or joint soreness or pain. Rest is a good place to start with most exercise-related injuries, especially in a growing body. As noted above, different types of activities can help avoid repetitive injury to the same joints, bones, and muscles. You can also work with your child at home on strength-training and endurance exercises, and make sure they're eating a healthy diet to support their growing bones and joints.
Some children, especially girls, may have “loose ligaments." These children are often described as very flexible and can hyperextend their arms and legs. Loose joints are at increased risk for strains and sprains. Strengthening muscle groups around the joint can act like a brace for the joint and help prevent injury. If your child has ever had a sprain, he or she is at risk for recurrence. You should talk with your pediatrician about specific exercises that your child can do to help strengthen the joint. Sometimes bracing of an ankle or knee can help give stability to avoid future injury. Appropriate and properly fitting shoes can also help decrease injuries such as shin splints and plantar fasciitis.
Exercise is especially important for children who are overweight, but be aware that being overweight puts increased stress on a child's joints, so you'll need to make sure they don't overstress their joints. In general staying slim can help decrease pressure on knees, hips, and back.
It is incredibly important that children engaging in contact sports or sports that require helmets like biking have properly fitted equipment. Another important aspect of injury prevention is to make sure your child isn't being pushed too hard in gym class or on a sports team. Today, some kids are participating in an unbelievable amount of physical activity. Sports are only getting more competitive. And some activities can create a lot of psychological issues. In wrestling and gymnastics, for instance, restrictive weight requirements can put a lot of pressure on kids. So check in with your child regularly to make sure he's not being pushed past his limits.
As for the qualifications of your child's coach or gym teacher, you're certain to run into some inconsistencies here. As schools try to initiate more physical education programs — without additional funding — it's not uncommon to find that a math or science teacher is leading a sports team, rather than a well-trained physical education instructor. For gym class, this may be less of a risk when it comes to injury, but for any intense sport that your child will be participating in regularly, you'll want to make sure the instructor has been trained specifically in that activity.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Top 10 Tips for Treating Children's Feet
You worry about your kids' eyesight, eating habits, and overall health — but don't forget about their feet. Learn 10 tips for treating and preventing foot problems in kids. You make sure that your children’s teeth, ears, skin, and other body parts are healthy and clean. But what about their feet?
“The feet are often neglected when it comes to taking care of kids’ bodies,” says Elizabeth Kurtz, DPM, a podiatrist in Chicago and spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). “It’s important to pay attention to children’s feet from the [time they’re born] to head off problems down the line.”
Kids’ Feet: Keeping Them Healthy
These 10 tips can help ensure successful development and optimal foot health for kids:
1.Look carefully at your newborn’s feet. Be on the lookout for anything unusual. Problems you notice at birth may not disappear by themselves. Early treatment can often correct abnormalities, such as club foot, a congenital condition that occurs in about one in 1,000 births. “Casting a club foot within a few days after birth can often prevent the need for surgery,” says Paul W. Esposito, MD, professor of orthopedic surgery and pediatrics at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in Omaha.
2.Lightly cover your baby’s feet. Tight covers can keep your baby from moving freely and could even retard normal development, according to the APMA. “Kicking and moving the legs and feet around helps strengthen the muscles in preparation to walk,” says Dr. Esposito. Activity gyms for babies can also help strengthen little feet.
3.Let your toddler go shoeless. When kids first start to walk, going without shoes indoors is good for normal development. “Walking barefoot or wearing just socks strengthens the muscles in the feet and helps develop the grasping action of the toes,” says Esposito. Plus, your little walker will enjoy the sensation of various surfaces — like lush carpet or cool tile — beneath his feet.
4.Watch for lingering toe-walking. Walking on the toes is usually normal when kids first start to walk, but if a child walks exclusively on the toes after age 2, tell your pediatrician. Persistent toe walking could be linked to cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or other nervous system problems, says Esposito.
5.Cut toenails straight across. This will help prevent painful ingrown toenails. Signs of an ingrown toenail include pain, redness, and swelling. If an ingrown toenail does occur, ease the pain by putting a little bit of cotton between the skin and the ingrown toenail, suggests Dr. Kurtz. Then head for your pediatrician or a podiatrist. A simple in-office procedure can safely fix the problem.
6.Keep feet clean and dry. Preventing bacterial and fungal infections starts with good hygiene. Thoroughly wash your kids’ feet at bath time. Afterward, dry them well between the toes to prevent athlete’s foot, a fungal infection that thrives in moisture.
7.Buy well-fitting shoes. Always take your child with you when purchasing shoes. Kids’ feet need to be measured every single time, since they grow so rapidly. Too-tight shoes can cause blisters, corns, calluses, or ingrown toenails that can become infected. “If your child is constantly taking her shoes off, that’s a red flag that they may be uncomfortable,” says Kurtz.
8.Prevent foot injuries. Walking barefoot outdoors on dirty pavement exposes kids’ feet to splinters, cuts, and severe injuries. “The main reason I see children in the summer is for splinters and foreign objects in the foot,” says Kurtz. Another potential problem is plantar warts, a condition caused by a virus which invades the sole of the foot through cuts or breaks in the skin. Wearing shoes when playing on pavement or hazardous environments can prevent this problem.
9.Cover cuts. Wash minor cuts, scrapes, and scratches on the feet with soap and water and keep them covered with a bandage until they’ve healed. It’s a myth that exposing injuries to fresh air will help them heal better. “Exposure to fresh air means exposure to germs,” says Kurtz.
10.Show and tell. Kids learn by imitating. Clean and properly dry your feet and have your child copy. Also demonstrate how to cut toenails to prevent painful problems. “Many adult foot problems start in childhood,” says Kurtz.
Explaining why good foot hygiene is important and showing your kids how to care for their feet is good medicine for a lifetime of foot health
By Jan Sheehan
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
“The feet are often neglected when it comes to taking care of kids’ bodies,” says Elizabeth Kurtz, DPM, a podiatrist in Chicago and spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). “It’s important to pay attention to children’s feet from the [time they’re born] to head off problems down the line.”
Kids’ Feet: Keeping Them Healthy
These 10 tips can help ensure successful development and optimal foot health for kids:
1.Look carefully at your newborn’s feet. Be on the lookout for anything unusual. Problems you notice at birth may not disappear by themselves. Early treatment can often correct abnormalities, such as club foot, a congenital condition that occurs in about one in 1,000 births. “Casting a club foot within a few days after birth can often prevent the need for surgery,” says Paul W. Esposito, MD, professor of orthopedic surgery and pediatrics at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in Omaha.
2.Lightly cover your baby’s feet. Tight covers can keep your baby from moving freely and could even retard normal development, according to the APMA. “Kicking and moving the legs and feet around helps strengthen the muscles in preparation to walk,” says Dr. Esposito. Activity gyms for babies can also help strengthen little feet.
3.Let your toddler go shoeless. When kids first start to walk, going without shoes indoors is good for normal development. “Walking barefoot or wearing just socks strengthens the muscles in the feet and helps develop the grasping action of the toes,” says Esposito. Plus, your little walker will enjoy the sensation of various surfaces — like lush carpet or cool tile — beneath his feet.
4.Watch for lingering toe-walking. Walking on the toes is usually normal when kids first start to walk, but if a child walks exclusively on the toes after age 2, tell your pediatrician. Persistent toe walking could be linked to cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or other nervous system problems, says Esposito.
5.Cut toenails straight across. This will help prevent painful ingrown toenails. Signs of an ingrown toenail include pain, redness, and swelling. If an ingrown toenail does occur, ease the pain by putting a little bit of cotton between the skin and the ingrown toenail, suggests Dr. Kurtz. Then head for your pediatrician or a podiatrist. A simple in-office procedure can safely fix the problem.
6.Keep feet clean and dry. Preventing bacterial and fungal infections starts with good hygiene. Thoroughly wash your kids’ feet at bath time. Afterward, dry them well between the toes to prevent athlete’s foot, a fungal infection that thrives in moisture.
7.Buy well-fitting shoes. Always take your child with you when purchasing shoes. Kids’ feet need to be measured every single time, since they grow so rapidly. Too-tight shoes can cause blisters, corns, calluses, or ingrown toenails that can become infected. “If your child is constantly taking her shoes off, that’s a red flag that they may be uncomfortable,” says Kurtz.
8.Prevent foot injuries. Walking barefoot outdoors on dirty pavement exposes kids’ feet to splinters, cuts, and severe injuries. “The main reason I see children in the summer is for splinters and foreign objects in the foot,” says Kurtz. Another potential problem is plantar warts, a condition caused by a virus which invades the sole of the foot through cuts or breaks in the skin. Wearing shoes when playing on pavement or hazardous environments can prevent this problem.
9.Cover cuts. Wash minor cuts, scrapes, and scratches on the feet with soap and water and keep them covered with a bandage until they’ve healed. It’s a myth that exposing injuries to fresh air will help them heal better. “Exposure to fresh air means exposure to germs,” says Kurtz.
10.Show and tell. Kids learn by imitating. Clean and properly dry your feet and have your child copy. Also demonstrate how to cut toenails to prevent painful problems. “Many adult foot problems start in childhood,” says Kurtz.
Explaining why good foot hygiene is important and showing your kids how to care for their feet is good medicine for a lifetime of foot health
By Jan Sheehan
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH
Sunday, August 15, 2010
CHECK KIDS’ FEET BEFORE SCHOOL STARTS
Simple At-home Checks Help Spot Foot Problems
During the annual rite of preparing for the new school year, it is recommended that parents take five minutes at home to check for signs of possible foot disorders that could prevent active children from participating in sports and other activities.
The American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) suggests these additions to this year’s back-to-school checklist:
• Do the bottom of the child’s shoes show uneven wear patterns?
• Does the child walk irregularly? Is one leg longer than the other or do feet turn in or out excessively?
• Do pre-schoolers walk on their toes?
• Does the child often trip or stumble?
• Does the child complain of tired legs, night pains and cramping?
If parents take time to perform these checks, they will identify symptoms of common foot ailments, such as ingrown nails, and more serious foot disorders like flat feet that can hamper a child’s performance in physical education classes and sports. If a child’s shoe is worn on the big toe side of the foot, it could be a sign of poor arch support or flat feet.
Parents can spot several potential foot problems by observing kids’ walking patterns. For example, if a parent determines that one leg is longer than the other, heel lifts may be required to restore proper balance.
Toe-walking in younger children can result from too much time spent in walkers as toddlers. Parents are urged take action to correct tightness in the Achilles tendon area that occurs from excessive toe-walking. ACFAS recommends stretching exercises that can be fun for small children and will help prevent lower back pain as they get older.
For those beginning college, heel pain and shin splints can plague freshmen not acclimated to walking long distances across campus to attend classes. Daily stretching and proper walking shoes are recommended, and for those with deformities such as hammertoes, surgery may be necessary to make walking more comfortable.
Parents also should heed complaints about tired legs, heel pain and leg or foot cramps at night. There’s no such thing as “growing pains,” so when kids complain about leg and foot pain they might have flat feet or another disorder that should be evaluated immediately. Children with flat feet are at risk for arthritis later in life if the problem is left untreated.
Parents who notice a potential foot problem should have the child evaluated by the foot specialist at Central Kansas Podiatry Associates.
During the annual rite of preparing for the new school year, it is recommended that parents take five minutes at home to check for signs of possible foot disorders that could prevent active children from participating in sports and other activities.
The American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) suggests these additions to this year’s back-to-school checklist:
• Do the bottom of the child’s shoes show uneven wear patterns?
• Does the child walk irregularly? Is one leg longer than the other or do feet turn in or out excessively?
• Do pre-schoolers walk on their toes?
• Does the child often trip or stumble?
• Does the child complain of tired legs, night pains and cramping?
If parents take time to perform these checks, they will identify symptoms of common foot ailments, such as ingrown nails, and more serious foot disorders like flat feet that can hamper a child’s performance in physical education classes and sports. If a child’s shoe is worn on the big toe side of the foot, it could be a sign of poor arch support or flat feet.
Parents can spot several potential foot problems by observing kids’ walking patterns. For example, if a parent determines that one leg is longer than the other, heel lifts may be required to restore proper balance.
Toe-walking in younger children can result from too much time spent in walkers as toddlers. Parents are urged take action to correct tightness in the Achilles tendon area that occurs from excessive toe-walking. ACFAS recommends stretching exercises that can be fun for small children and will help prevent lower back pain as they get older.
For those beginning college, heel pain and shin splints can plague freshmen not acclimated to walking long distances across campus to attend classes. Daily stretching and proper walking shoes are recommended, and for those with deformities such as hammertoes, surgery may be necessary to make walking more comfortable.
Parents also should heed complaints about tired legs, heel pain and leg or foot cramps at night. There’s no such thing as “growing pains,” so when kids complain about leg and foot pain they might have flat feet or another disorder that should be evaluated immediately. Children with flat feet are at risk for arthritis later in life if the problem is left untreated.
Parents who notice a potential foot problem should have the child evaluated by the foot specialist at Central Kansas Podiatry Associates.
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