Check youngsters' feet before school starts - Child Care - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), August, 2002

During the annual rite of preparing for the new school year, the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons recommends that parents take five minutes at home to check for signs of possible foot disorders that could prevent children from participating in sports and other activities. These include:

* Do the bottom of his or her shoes show uneven wear patterns?

* Does the youngster walk irregularly? Is one leg longer than the other or do feet turn in or out excessively?

* Do preschoolers walk on their toes?

* Does the child often trip or stumble?

* Does he or she complain of tired legs, night pains, and/or 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," indicates Kimberly Eickmeier, a podiatric foot and ankle surgeon at the Christie Clinic, Champaign, III. "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."

According to Eickmeier, 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." She stresses that early intervention prevents scoliosis (curvature of the spine) later in life.

Toe-walking in younger children can result from too much time spent in walkers as toddlers. Parents are urged take actions to correct tightness in the Achilles tendon area that occurs from excessive toe-walking. "We recommend stretching exercises that can be fun for small children and will help prevent lower back pain as they get older," Eickmeier says.

For those beginning college, heel pain and shin splints can plague freshmen not acclimated to walking long distances across campus to attend classes. "At our clinic near the University of Illinois, we see students every fall complaining about pain from walking so much every day. We recommend daily stretching and proper walking shoes, and for those with deformities such as hammertoes, surgery is advised 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," Eickmeier points out, adding that youngsters with flat feet are at risk for arthritis later in life if the problem is left untreated.