How to Treat Foot Pain in Children
Ask your child where he is experiencing pain in his feet., Determine if your child injured his foot., Note if your child complains of itchiness or burning on the skin of his feet., Examine your child’s outdoor shoes., Look at your child’s feet for...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Ask your child where he is experiencing pain in his feet.
Have your child point to the area or areas on his feet where he is feeling a sharp pain or throbbing.
He may also have pain in other areas of his legs, like his knees, his ankles, or his calf muscles.
Ask him to point out the specific areas of pain.
This will help you determine where the pain is originating on his feet and legs, and determine the possible causes of his pain.If he notes the pain is in his heel, he may have Sever's disease.
Sever's disease, also known as “painful heel” or pediatric heel, is caused by disturbances in the growth plate of your child’s foot and is common in kids who are active in sports, especially during early puberty.
If he complains of pain on his entire foot, as well as in his ankles and calf muscles, he may suffer from flat footedness. -
Step 2: Determine if your child injured his foot.
Falling on the foot, twisting it, injuring it while kicking, or dropping something on it can cause sprains, strains, contusions or fractures that lead to pain.
See your health care provider or go to the emergency room if your child has pain after an injury or has sudden foot pain.
Limping does not necessarily indicate an injury in the foot.
A small child may limp due to pain from an injury anywhere in the hips, leg, or foot. , Your child may also complain of severe itchiness between his toes.
The skin of his feet may appear scaly, flaky, or dry, and your child may also feel like his feet are burning or irritated.
These are symptoms of athlete's foot.
This skin issue is caused by a fungus that may have ended up on your child's feet due to expose to the fungi in a swimming pool, a gym, a locker room, or from contaminated socks or clothing.Athlete's foot is an unpleasant skin condition that will only get worse if it is not properly treated.
You should bring your child to the doctor.
She will then prescribe over the counter powders, ointments, and medicated creams. , Some children suffer from foot pain due to improper running shoes or shoes that are too tight on their feet.
Check inside your child’s shoes for any sharp patches or spots that may be rubbing against your child’s feet.Often, ill fitting shoes will contribute to surface pains like blisters and raw skin on your child’s feet.
However, if your child feeling pain in the muscles and joints of his feet, there is likely a deeper issue with his feet. , Bunions typically occur due to increased motion of the arch region of your child’s foot and will appear as a bump extending out of one side of the ball of your child’s foot.
Your child may have inherited a genetic predisposition to bunions or he may have had a foot deformity at birth that was not properly diagnosed.
If you suspect your child has bunions, take him to a podiatrist for treatment.To check if your child might be suffering from an ingrown toenail on his foot, examine his big toes to see if there is any redness or rawness around the skin of his big toe nail as well as areas where the nail is pinched against the skin.
There are home remedies you can try to relieve pain caused by ingrown toenails.
However, the best course of action is to take your child to your family doctor so he can treat the ingrown nail.
You should also check for plantar warts, which are common in children and can cause pain when walking on them.
A pediatrician, podiatrist, or dermatologist can treat warts. , Ask your child to take a few steps forward and watch him as he walks.
If he seems to putting most of his weight on his toes or walking with a slight or pronounced limp, he may be suffering from a common foot problem for children: pediatric heel pain, also known as Sever's disease.Pediatric heel pain is caused by your child’s growing feet, as the bones in your child’s foot may be growing faster than his tendons and his heel bone (medically called the calcaneus).
This gap between your child’s growth plate can lead to a weak area at the back of your child’s heel and pulling the tendon in your child’s feet.
This then puts more stress on the growth plate in your child’s feet and can lead to heel pain.
If you suspect your child might be experiencing pediatric heel pain, it’s important you take him to your family doctor, who can recommend a podiatrist or orthopedic doctor.
The doctor can examine your child’s feet and present treatment options.
You may be referred to a foot and ankle surgeon for heel pain problems.
Catching pediatric heel pain early is the best way to prevent the development of lifelong foot pain and foot issues. , This is a symptom of flat footedness, a foot issue that, when severe or causing symptoms, requires professional treatment.
Flat footedness is a hereditary condition that can also lead to other symptoms such as:
Tenderness, cramping, and pain in the foot, the leg or the knee.
Awkwardness or limping when walking.
A hard time finding shoes that feel comfortable.
Little energy to participate in a physical activity that requires running, jogging, or sprinting. , If it becomes too painful for your child to put any weight at all on his feet, or if he has a burning pain in his feet, head to the nearest hospital or clinic.
He may be suffering from a serious foot issue that needs immediate treatment. -
Step 3: Note if your child complains of itchiness or burning on the skin of his feet.
-
Step 4: Examine your child’s outdoor shoes.
-
Step 5: Look at your child’s feet for bunions or ingrown toenails.
-
Step 6: Check if your child walks on his toes or with a limp.
-
Step 7: Notice if the your child’s arches disappear when he stands with his feet flat on the ground.
-
Step 8: Take your child to emergency room if he cannot put any weight on his feet
-
Step 9: or if your child has foot pain due to an injury or fever and a limp.
Detailed Guide
Have your child point to the area or areas on his feet where he is feeling a sharp pain or throbbing.
He may also have pain in other areas of his legs, like his knees, his ankles, or his calf muscles.
Ask him to point out the specific areas of pain.
This will help you determine where the pain is originating on his feet and legs, and determine the possible causes of his pain.If he notes the pain is in his heel, he may have Sever's disease.
Sever's disease, also known as “painful heel” or pediatric heel, is caused by disturbances in the growth plate of your child’s foot and is common in kids who are active in sports, especially during early puberty.
If he complains of pain on his entire foot, as well as in his ankles and calf muscles, he may suffer from flat footedness.
Falling on the foot, twisting it, injuring it while kicking, or dropping something on it can cause sprains, strains, contusions or fractures that lead to pain.
See your health care provider or go to the emergency room if your child has pain after an injury or has sudden foot pain.
Limping does not necessarily indicate an injury in the foot.
A small child may limp due to pain from an injury anywhere in the hips, leg, or foot. , Your child may also complain of severe itchiness between his toes.
The skin of his feet may appear scaly, flaky, or dry, and your child may also feel like his feet are burning or irritated.
These are symptoms of athlete's foot.
This skin issue is caused by a fungus that may have ended up on your child's feet due to expose to the fungi in a swimming pool, a gym, a locker room, or from contaminated socks or clothing.Athlete's foot is an unpleasant skin condition that will only get worse if it is not properly treated.
You should bring your child to the doctor.
She will then prescribe over the counter powders, ointments, and medicated creams. , Some children suffer from foot pain due to improper running shoes or shoes that are too tight on their feet.
Check inside your child’s shoes for any sharp patches or spots that may be rubbing against your child’s feet.Often, ill fitting shoes will contribute to surface pains like blisters and raw skin on your child’s feet.
However, if your child feeling pain in the muscles and joints of his feet, there is likely a deeper issue with his feet. , Bunions typically occur due to increased motion of the arch region of your child’s foot and will appear as a bump extending out of one side of the ball of your child’s foot.
Your child may have inherited a genetic predisposition to bunions or he may have had a foot deformity at birth that was not properly diagnosed.
If you suspect your child has bunions, take him to a podiatrist for treatment.To check if your child might be suffering from an ingrown toenail on his foot, examine his big toes to see if there is any redness or rawness around the skin of his big toe nail as well as areas where the nail is pinched against the skin.
There are home remedies you can try to relieve pain caused by ingrown toenails.
However, the best course of action is to take your child to your family doctor so he can treat the ingrown nail.
You should also check for plantar warts, which are common in children and can cause pain when walking on them.
A pediatrician, podiatrist, or dermatologist can treat warts. , Ask your child to take a few steps forward and watch him as he walks.
If he seems to putting most of his weight on his toes or walking with a slight or pronounced limp, he may be suffering from a common foot problem for children: pediatric heel pain, also known as Sever's disease.Pediatric heel pain is caused by your child’s growing feet, as the bones in your child’s foot may be growing faster than his tendons and his heel bone (medically called the calcaneus).
This gap between your child’s growth plate can lead to a weak area at the back of your child’s heel and pulling the tendon in your child’s feet.
This then puts more stress on the growth plate in your child’s feet and can lead to heel pain.
If you suspect your child might be experiencing pediatric heel pain, it’s important you take him to your family doctor, who can recommend a podiatrist or orthopedic doctor.
The doctor can examine your child’s feet and present treatment options.
You may be referred to a foot and ankle surgeon for heel pain problems.
Catching pediatric heel pain early is the best way to prevent the development of lifelong foot pain and foot issues. , This is a symptom of flat footedness, a foot issue that, when severe or causing symptoms, requires professional treatment.
Flat footedness is a hereditary condition that can also lead to other symptoms such as:
Tenderness, cramping, and pain in the foot, the leg or the knee.
Awkwardness or limping when walking.
A hard time finding shoes that feel comfortable.
Little energy to participate in a physical activity that requires running, jogging, or sprinting. , If it becomes too painful for your child to put any weight at all on his feet, or if he has a burning pain in his feet, head to the nearest hospital or clinic.
He may be suffering from a serious foot issue that needs immediate treatment.
About the Author
Pamela Hall
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: