Kids “Fall” Back into School Sports

Posted by Craig in All on Oct 24th, 2011 | 0 comments

Some information from the American Podiatric Association I thought I'd share about kids and sports,

as it relates to their foot health...

As kids head back to school, they also get back into participating in team and individual

sports. Children active in sports programs will improve their cardiovascular and musculoskeletal

systems, coordination, and state of mind. In addition, sports help children make friends, have fun,

learn to play as a member of a team, learn to play fairly, and improve self esteem. Every child

matures physically at his or her own rate and has a different degree of athletic ability. No amount

of training can improve a child’s natural athletic ability, but training helps improve coordination

and therefore performance. Parents should encourage their children to participate in sports but

never forget that competition should be fun. One of the most important ways to avoid injuries in

all sports is stretching and warm-up exercises before beginning the activity. Warming up helps

loosen muscles and prevents injuries in athletes of all ages. In addition, it’s extremely important

to wear the correct shoes for the sport. Your podiatrist can help you choose the right shoes for

your children. According to podiatrists, overuse injuries occur from repetitive actions that put

too much stress on the bones and muscles. All kids who play sports can develop an overuse injury.

Foot injuries commonly seen in very active children include: Blisters are caused by friction when

shoes and socks rub repeatedly on the skin. Keep your child’s feet as dry as possible; wet shoes,

boots and socks will cause blisters far more quickly than dry ones. Consult with your local

podiatrist to ensure that shoes fit correctly and for treatment of blisters, especially if your

child has diabetes. Sever’s Disease is an injury to a child’s developing foot structure,

specifically an inflammation in the heel’s growth plate due to muscle strain and repetitive stress.

It is common in young athletes and children between 8-14 years of age, when the child’s bones are

still in the growth stage and the growth plates have not become solidified.Rest, ice, and a padded

heel insert--and in some cases, custom foot orthotics--are some treatments usually prescribed by

a podiatrist for this condition. Turf toe is a painful hyperextension of the big toe joint typically

caused by playing on artificial turf or grass. Children involved in sports played on grass or turf

(e.g., baseball, soccer, and football) should be particularly careful. The remedy is usually “RICE”

(Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) and orthotics (custom devices for shoes)prescribed by your

podiatrist. Shin splints are micro-tears or inflammation of the anterior leg muscles that cause pain and

discomfort on the front of the lower parts of the legs. They are often caused by repeated running on

hard surfaces or overtraining at the beginning of a sports season. Some ways of preventing this injury

are proper stretching and warm-ups, wearing shoes designed for your child’s sport, and custom orthotics

(custom devices for shoes).

Always feel free to contact our office; we are happy to help!

Best Foot Forward,

H Craig Fox, DPM

Oswego 630-551-FEET(3338)

Coal City 815-634-2324

Minooka 815-521-9347

Children and Ingrown Tonails

Posted by Craig in All on Oct 7th, 2011 | 0 comments

Dear Dr. Fox,

My son seems to have frequent pain from ingrown toenails. He is very involved in sports – soccer, football, and baseball. We have tried some over the counter remedies, but without success. What causes these?  What are our options?

Thank you,

Karen

 

Dear Karen,

Ingrown nails, the most common nail impairment, are nails whose corners or sides dig painfully into the soft tissue of nail grooves, often leading to irritation, redness, and swelling. Usually, toenails grow straight out. Sometimes, however, one or both corners or sides curve and grow into the flesh. The big to is usually the victim of this condition, but other toes can also become affected.

Ingrown toenail can be caused by:

-Improperly trimmed nails (trim them straight across, not longer than the tip of the toes. Do not round off corners. Use toenail clippers.)

-Heredity.

-Shoe pressure, crowding of toes.

-Repeated trauma to the feet from normal activities.

It may be a combination of the above issues that are causing your son’s distress. I would recommend that his nails be evaluated by your podiatrist, who can diagnose the ailment, and then prescribe medication or other appropriate treatment. A podiatrist can resect the ingrown portion of the nail and may prescribe a topical or oral medication to treat the infection. If the ingrown nails are a chronic problem, your podiatrist can perform a procedure to permanently prevent ingrown nails. The corner of the nail that ingrows, along with the matrix or root of that piece of nail, are removed by use of a chemical, or laser, or by other methods.

My office would be happy to see you and evaluate your son’s issue. Please contact us at (630) 551-FEET for further assistance or to schedule an appointment.

 

Best Foot Forward,

H.Craig  Fox, DPM

Foot Pain..Orthotics Question

Posted by Craig in All on Sep 26th, 2011 | 0 comments

Dear Dr. Fox,

I have been having a lot of pain in my feet, and I was about to get some shoe inserts at the drugstore. My friend told me I might need orthotics, but I don’t know exactly what they are or how expensive they would be. Do you have any information you could share?

Oswego  

Dear Oswego, 

I ‘m sorry to hear you are in pain!

To answer your first question, an orthotic for your shoe is an insert that is used to support, align, prevent, or correct deformities or top improve the function of movable parts of the lower body. An orthotic can help to alleviate pain that is radiating through your toes, feet, legs, hips, or lower back.

Foot pain is never normal…..I definitely recommend that you consult with a podiatrist. A podiatrist can determine whether an orthotic is an appropriate treatment based on a complete individual examination. Orthotic devices or insoles are available in numerous retail stores, but you should know that not all over the counter devices are effective – no matter what the price. Consulting with a podiatrist before purchasing over-the-counter products can give you a medical perspective and help you select the correct treatment for your foot condition.  

 In the event that an over the counter product does not suit your needs, a podiatrist can develop custom orthotics designed with your specific issues in mind. The costs for these custom orthotics can vary a great deal depending on the type of support or correction needed. Many insurance policies cover the costs of custom orthotics – our office is happy to verify with your insurance company before you proceed with treatment in order to understand any expenses you might have.

Please call us at (630) 551-FEET(3338) to make an appointment, or look at our website www.foxfootandankle.com for more information.

 Best foot forward,

Dr. H. Craig Fox