Noticed your child walking on their toes, complaining of sore heels or feet, or starting to avoid sport?
Firstly, as parents, it can be difficult to know what’s simply part of growing and what might be worth checking. Children’s feet and movement patterns change as they develop, and many differences are completely normal. However, ongoing pain, changes in the way your child walks or difficulty participating in activities are worth paying attention to.
Our podiatrists at Gen Health Hamilton provide children’s foot assessments and gait analysis, looking at how your child moves as a whole, from their feet and ankles through to their knees and hips.
“We’re not looking for perfect feet. We want to understand how your child is moving, whether they’re comfortable and whether anything is stopping them from doing what they enjoy.” – Steph Lamont, Endorsed Podiatrist.
When should my child see a podiatrist?
It may be worth having your child’s feet assessed if they:
- Regularly walk or run on their toes
- Complain of sore feet, ankles or heels
- Frequently trip or fall
- Avoid running, jumping or playing sport
- Get tired quickly when walking or playing
- Have developed a noticeable change in the way they walk
- Walk with their feet turned noticeably in or out
- Limp or favour one leg
- Have shoes that wear unevenly or feel uncomfortable.
What about toe walking?
Toe walking is common when children are learning to walk, and some children continue to do it as they get older. It doesn’t always mean there’s a problem.
However, persistent toe walking is worth assessing if your child can’t comfortably put their heels down, experiences pain, frequently trips or has difficulty keeping up with their friends.
“Toe walking isn’t automatically something to worry about. We want to understand why it’s happening and whether it’s affecting your child’s movement or participation.” – Steph Lamont, Endorsed Podiatrist
Why might my child’s heels hurt?
Heel pain can be common in active children, particularly during periods of growth. Sever’s disease, or calcaneal apophysitis, is one cause of heel pain seen in growing children and can be associated with running and jumping.
If your child regularly complains of sore heels after sport, don’t encourage them to simply push through the pain.
“We want to understand what’s contributing to the pain and work out how we can help them stay active comfortably,” Steph says.
What happens during a children’s podiatry assessment?
At Gen Health, we’ll chat with you and your child about what you’ve noticed, their activities and any pain or discomfort they’re experiencing.
We may assess:
- Foot posture
- Walking and running patterns
- Balance and coordination
- Ankle and calf flexibility
- Lower limb movement
- Strength and movement control
- Footwear
Most importantly, we don’t believe every difference needs to be fixed. A child can have flat feet or a particular walking pattern without needing treatment.
“Sometimes the best outcome is reassurance, helping parents understand what’s normal for their child and what, if anything, they need to keep an eye on.”
Helping your child move well from the ground up
Healthy children’s feet isn’t about having “perfect” feet. It’s about being able to move comfortably, confidently and participate in the things they love.
If you’ve noticed your child walking on their toes, complaining of sore heels or feet, regularly tripping or avoiding sport, a children’s foot assessment can help provide answers and reassurance.
At Gen Health Hamilton, our podiatrists are here to help your child move well from the ground up. Book your appointment today.
Disclaimer: This information is general in nature and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
