Children & Foot Health

I just went to a children’s health fair and wrote some handouts for the parents.  I will post one of the handouts here, which is pretty general, but I will get in further detail as time goes on.  I am a big proponent of healthy feet in children, because that sets the stage for healthy feet as an adult! 

·        Organized and unorganized sports are a great way to improve the cardiovascular system, the musculoskeletal system, coordination, and develop self-confidence and self-discipline

·        The unfortunate trend towards specialization of children in sports at a younger and younger age, lends itself towards the potential of overuse injuries; this is due to constant pressure upon a certain set of muscles, ligaments and stress upon the bones

·        Growth plates of bones don’t close until about 13-15 years old in girls and 15-17 years old in boys, so they are more suspectible to injury than tendons and ligaments

 

SOLUTIONS

·        Allow children to play many different sports and activities; this will benefit overall coordination and decrease risk of overuse injuries.

·        Simple movement patterns and proper technique are important part of prevention, especially for children younger than ten years old

·        Stretching and proper strengthening exercises are vital for growing children as the muscles and tendons will become tight as the bone lengthens

Happiness and good health!