NY Pediatric
Podiatrist - Children's Foot Doctor
Dr.
Isaac Tabari offers
complete care for any
age and cutting-edge
techniques to treat
foot and ankle diseases,
injuries and other disorders
that may be slowing
your child down. It's
very important to begin
foot care at a very
young age because feet
carry people for their
entire lives. Dr.
Tabari is an expert in children's foot
conditions. Children
can be affected by foot
conditions such as
-
warts
- heel pain
- ingrown
nails
- flat feet
- sport
injuries
- intoeing
- outoeing.
Neglecting foot health invites problems in other parts of the body, such as the legs and back. The child with troublesome feet walks awkwardly and
usually has poor general posture. As a result, the growing child may become shy, introverted, and avoid athletics and social
functions. Consultation with a New York podiatrist can help to resolve these related problems.
Baby's feet
The Human foot is
one of the most complicated
parts of the body
- it has 26 bones,
and has ligaments,
muscles, blood vessels
and nerves. The feet
of a young child are
soft and pliable;
abnormal pressure
can cause deformities.
A child's feet grows
rapidly during the
first year, reaching
almost half their
adult foot size. Podiatrist,
consider the first
year to be the most
important in development.
Tips
to help foot development
occur normally:
- Provide exercise;
lying uncovered
provides kicking
and other related
motions which prepare
the feet for weight
bearing.
- Change the baby's
position several
times a day.
- Look at your baby's
feet often if you
notice something
that does not look
normal to you, ask
your family physician
or podiatrist.
- Cover the baby's
feet loosely; tight
covers restrict
movement.
In-toeing and
Out-toeing
Most toddlers toe-in
or toe-out because of a
slight rotation (twist), of the upper
or lower leg bones. Tibial torsion,
the most common
cause of in-toeing,
occurs when the
lower leg bone
(tibia) tilts
inward. If the tibia
tilts outward, a
child will toe-out.
When the thighbone,
or femur, is tilted,
the tibia will also
turn and give the
appearance of
intoeing or
outtoeing. The
medical term for
this is femoral anteversion.
In-toeing can also
be caused by metatarsus
adductus, a curving of the
foot that causes
toes to point
inward.
The reason some kids
develop gait
abnormalities is
unclear, but studies have shown that a
family history of
in-toeing or
out-toeing plays a
role. So, if you
toed-in or toed-out
as a
child, there's a
chance that your
child could develop
the same tendency.
Some
experts also believe that, the position of
the fetus in the womb during pregnancy could
also lead to in-toeing or
out-toeing.
As a fetus grows,
some of the bones
have to rotate
slightly to fit into
the small space of
the womb. In many
cases, these bones
are still rotated to
some degree for the
first few years of
life. Many times
this is most
noticeable when a
child learns to
walk, because if the
tibia or femur is
tilted at an angle,
the feet are, too.
Growing up
While children's feet
continue to grow and
develop, it may be
necessary to change
shoe and sock size
every few months.
Improper footwear
can aggravate preexisting
conditions. Shoes
or other footwear
should never be handed
down.
The feet of young
children are often
unstable because of
muscle problems which
make walking difficult
or uncomfortable.
A thorough examination
by a podiatrist may
detect an underlying
defect or condition
which may require
immediate treatment
or consultation with
another specialist.
The American Podiatric
Medical Association
has long known of
the high incidence
of foot defects among
the young and recommends
foot health examinations
for school children
on a regular basis.
Pediatric Heel Pain
What
is pediatric heel pain?
Heel pain is a common
childhood complaint.
That doesn't mean, however,
that it should be ignored,
or that parents should
wait to see if it will
“go away.”
Heel
pain is a symptom,
not a disease. In
other words, heel
pain is a warning
sign that a child
has a condition that
deserves attention.
Conditions
that cause pediatric
heel pain include:
Calcaneal apophysitis
Also known as
Sever’s disease,
this is the most
common cause of
heel pain in children.
Although not a true
“disease,” it is
an inflammation
of the heel’s growth
plate due to muscle
strain and repetitive
stress, especially
in those who are
active or obese.
This condition usually
causes pain and
tenderness in the
back and bottom
of the heel when
walking and the
heel is painful
when touched. It
can occur in one
or both feet.
Tendo-achilles
bursitis
This condition is
an inflammation
of the fluid-filled
sac (bursa) located
between the Achilles
tendon (heel cord)
and the heel bone.
Tendo-Achilles bursitis
can result from
injuries to the
heel, certain diseases
(such as juvenile
rheumatoid arthritis),
or wearing poorly
cushioned shoes.
Overuse syndromes
Because the
heel’s growth plate
is sensitive to
repeated running
and pounding on
hard surfaces, pediatric
heel pain often
reflects overuse.
Children and adolescents
involved in soccer,
track, or basketball
are especially vulnerable.
One common overuse
syndrome is Achilles
tendonitis. This
inflammation of
the tendon usually
occurs in children
over the age of
14. Another overuse
syndrome is plantar
fasciitis, which
is an inflammation
of the band of tissue
(the plantar fascia)
that runs along
the bottom of the
foot from
the heel to the
toes.
Fractures
Sometimes heel
pain is caused by
a break in the bone.
Stress fractures—hairline
breaks resulting
from repeated stress
on the bone—often
occur in adolescents
engaged in athletics,
especially when
the intensity of
training suddenly
changes. In children
under age of 10,
another type of
break—acute fractures—can
result from simply
jumping 2 or 3 feet
from a couch or
stairway.
Diagnosis
To diagnose
the underlying cause
of your child’s
heel pain, the podiatric
surgeon will first
obtain a thorough
medical history
and ask questions
about recent activities.
The surgeon will
also examine the
child’s foot and
leg. X-rays are
often used to evaluate
the condition and
in some cases the
surgeon will order
a bone scan, a magnetic
resonance imaging
(MRI) study, or
a computerized tomography
(CT or CAT) scan.
Laboratory testing
may also be ordered
to help diagnose
other less prevalent
causes of pediatric
heel pain
***This
material is only provided
as helpful information
and not as medical advice
and you should consult
with your foot doctor
or another medical doctor
for a professional diagnosis.
***
For
more information on athlete's
foot treatments and to
make an appointment with
the NY Diabetic Foot Care
- Wound Management Foot
Doctor Surgeon, please
call our office today
at (212)
288-3137 or
click here
to make an appointment.
Call
us at 212-288-3137 to schedule your appointment
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