Children Are Vulnerable to Sports Injuries

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One reason that parents bring children and adolescents to see a podiatrist like Dr. James M. McKee is an injury or illness that has resulted from athletics. Individual and team sports are great for kids. They set the foundation for lifelong health and wellness, improve confidence, create social bonds, and more. Unfortunately, sports also create a higher-than-average risk of problems in the foot, ankle, or lower leg.

Common sports-related injuries and illnesses in children include:

  • foot fractures and ankle sprains caused by sudden stops or turns

  • stress fractures which, unlike a traumatic injury, begin slowly and develop over a long period

  • Sever’s disease, an inflammation of the growth plate in the heel

  • turf toe, damage to the big toe as a result of repeated hyperextension

  • abnormalities in posture or gait

  • ingrown toenails and other injuries to the nail and/or nail bed

  • skin conditions such as Athlete’s foot and other infections

Fortunately, your podiatrist has many treatment options to help your child. These commonly include:

  • immobilization with a cast or boot

  • over-the-counter or prescription oral or topical medication for pain, swelling, or infection

  • custom orthotics for cushioning and support

  • foot and ankle surgery, but only in extreme cases

With years of specialized education and experience, your podiatrist is a medical expert and the best-qualified doctor to care for your family’s feet and ankles. Each visit to your foot doctor’s office will begin in a careful examination resulting in a specific and accurate diagnosis. Your doctor will then work with you to create an effective and individualized plan for treatment and ongoing care.

Has your child sustained a sports-related injury or contracted an illness as the result of time spent in locker rooms or on pool decks? Schedule appointment to see James M. McKee, DPM, FACFAS in the modern, comfortable Podiatry Group of Annapolis, P.A. offices, located on Solomons Island Road in Anne Arundel County, today. Call our friendly staff at 410-224-4448 or click here to get started.

sports injuries, pediatric podiatryPodiatry Group of Annapolisstress fractures, Ingrown toenails, orthotics, foot and ankle surgery