Sports Injuries & Children

English: Child Soccer player. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If your children are playing sports this fall, pay attention to six tips that could protect them from serious ankle injuries.

Every fall season, foot and ankle surgeons see an increase in ankle injuries among young athletes. Football, soccer and basketball are the sports most likely to lead to sprains, broken bones and other problems, says Roanoke and New River Valley area podiatrist Jennifer Feeny, DPM.

"What seems like a sprain is not always a sprain; in addition to cartilage injuries, your son or daughter might have injured other bones in the foot without knowing it. Have a qualified doctor examine the injury," says Dr. Feeny. "The sooner rehabilitation starts, the sooner we can prevent long-term problems like instability or arthritis, and the sooner your child can get back into competition." Dr. Feeny, who is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), offers these additional tips for parents:

--Have old sprains checked by a doctor before the season starts. A medical check-up can reveal whether your child's previously injured ankle might be vulnerable to sprains, and could possibly benefit from wearing a supportive ankle brace during competition.

--Buy the right shoe for the sport. Different sports require different shoe gear. Players shouldn't mix baseball cleats with football shoes.

--Children should start the season with new shoes. Old shoes can wear down like a car tire and become uneven on the bottom, causing the ankle to tilt because the foot can't lie flat.

--Check playing fields for dips, divots and holes. Most sports-related ankle sprains are caused by jumping and running on uneven surfaces. That's why some surgeons recommend parents walk the field, especially when children compete in non-professional settings like public parks, for spots that could catch a player's foot and throw them to the ground. Alert coaching officials to any irregularities.

--Encourage stretching and warm-up exercises. Calf stretches and light jogging before competition helps warm up ligaments and blood vessels, reducing the risk for ankle injuries.

For more information on treating ankle sprains, visit ShenandoahPodiatry.com

From Flats to Stilettos, it's Agony of the Feet



I went to visit my boyfriend's grandparents the other week and his grandpa cut out this article from the Richmond Times for me!

The article describes how women will wear 5 inch stilettos to work throughout the week then will switch to flats or flip flops over the weekend. (Around these parts, however, with all the students it's more of wearing flats throughout the week and growing 5 inches taller on the weekend!) 

When conducting a study on the feet, it was found that "women who wore so-called 'high risk' shoes that lacked sound structure and support, including high heels, sandals and slippers, were more likely to complain about foot pain later in life."

Listed are some common problems associated with wearing heels (or frequently switching from heels to flats to heels):

• Bunions- Experts say bunions, when the big toe points toward the second toe causing a bump to appear on the outside edge of your toe, are partly genetic. Wearing pointy-toe high heels can make the problem worse.
• Hammertoes- Shoes that crowd the toes together can cause the second, third, fourth and fifth toes to become bent, like a claw.
• Corns- Thickened skin on the top or side of the toe.
• Neuromas- Pinched nerves that cause a burning sensation, tingling or numbness between the toes and in the ball of the foot.
• Heel pain- Plantar fasciitis commonly causes inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot, which leads to pain in the bottom of the heel.

What it comes down to is if height is important to you, wear wedges instead of platform or high heels. I personally recommend Danskos (I wear them everyday!) however, they are an investment, but they will give you the height and the support you need.

Also, make sure to stretch, yes it may sound silly to stretch after removing your heels for the day, but it will help in the long run with pain, swelling and discomfort!
Here are some quick stretching exercises we recommend: Plantar Fasciitis stretches and Heel Pain stretches

Have Heel Pain? Complete These Stretches!

Here, Dr. Kate, explains and shows 2 types of stretches you can complete daily to help heel and foot pain: