How to Treat Foot Pain in Children

Foot pain in children can arise from various causes during their growth stages. If your child complains of foot pain, it might be due to growth pain in the heel bone or issues like flat feet, or even from wearing improper shoes. Ankle and foot pain is common in children aged seven to eight, as they are highly active and run around all day. Before treating foot pain, it is important to identify the cause and have a medical professional diagnose the condition.

Ask where the child feels the pain on their foot. Have the child point to the areas that hurt or feel sharp pain. The pain might also be present in other areas like the knee, ankle, or calf. Accurately identifying the pain locations will help determine the origin of the pain and the possible causes.

• If the pain is in the heel, the child may have Sever's disease, also known as "heel pain" or pediatric heel pain, which results from a disorder in the growth plate of the foot. This condition is common in active children who play sports, especially before puberty.
• If the pain extends across the foot, ankle, and calf, the child might have flat feet.

Check if the child's foot is injured. The foot may be impacted when falling, twisting an ankle, or sustaining an injury from kicking something. Additionally, a dropped object may cause sprains, strains, bruises, or fractures. If your child complains of pain after an injury or experiences sudden foot pain, you should take them to see a doctor or go to the emergency room.

• A limping gait doesn't necessarily indicate a foot injury. Young children may limp from pain anywhere on their hip, leg, or foot.

Watch for signs of itching or burning sensations on the foot. Your child may complain of intense itching between their toes, or the skin on their feet may flake, peel, or become dry while feeling a burning or discomfort. These symptoms are common with athlete's foot, a fungal infection contracted when a child swims, works out at the gym, visits a locker room, or wears socks or clothing contaminated with the fungus.

• Athlete's foot is a bothersome skin condition that can worsen if not treated properly. You should take your child to the doctor, who might recommend over-the-counter powders, ointments, or creams with medicinal ingredients.

Examine your child's shoes. Some children may experience foot pain due to wearing unsuitable or tight athletic shoes. Check the inside of the shoes for sharp objects that may be rubbing against your child's foot.

• Ill-fitting shoes can cause external injuries, such as blisters and skin abrasions. If your child feels pain in the muscles and joints of their feet, they might have other foot-related issues.

Observe your child's feet for bunions or ingrown toenails. Bunion deformities usually occur from repetitive motion in the arch area and appear as a bulging lump on the side of the foot. Bunion deformities in children may be hereditary or congenital and often go undiagnosed. You should consult a podiatrist if you suspect your child has a bunion.

• Check if your child has an ingrown toenail. Look for redness or skin abrasions around the big toe, and see if the toenail is pressing into the skin. You may try home remedies to alleviate the pain caused by ingrown nails, but the best approach is to consult a doctor for treatment.
• Also, check for plantar warts, a common condition in children that can cause pain while walking. Pediatricians, podiatrists, and dermatologists can treat warts.

Watch if your child is walking on their toes or limping. Have your child take a few steps and observe their walking pattern. If your child seems to shift their weight to their toes or walks with a slight limp, they may have a common foot condition in children: pediatric heel pain, also known as Sever's disease.

• Pediatric heel pain is caused by rapid foot growth, where the bones in the feet grow faster than the tendons and heel bones (calcaneus). The gap between the growth plates can create a weak area at the back of the heel, stretching the foot tendons. This increases pressure on the growth plates and causes heel pain.
• If you suspect your child has pediatric heel pain, take them to a general doctor. The doctor may refer you to a podiatrist or orthopedic specialist. They will examine your child's foot and suggest treatment options. Surgery may be considered for heel pain treatment. Early intervention is crucial in preventing chronic foot pain and related issues.

Observe the disappearance of the arch of a child's foot when standing on a flat surface. This is a sign of flat feet, a condition that requires specialized medical treatment if it becomes severe or causes symptoms. Flat feet are a genetic condition that can lead to additional symptoms such as:

• Pain, cramps, and soreness in the feet, legs, and knees
• Limping or clumsiness
• Difficulty finding comfortable shoes
• Lack of energy to participate in physical activities requiring running

Take your child to the emergency room if they cannot stand, experience foot pain from an injury, or have a fever and limp. If your child is in so much pain that they can't put weight on their foot or feels a burning sensation in the foot, you need to take them to the nearest hospital or healthcare facility. The child may have a serious foot issue and require prompt treatment.

Buy shoe insoles for your child's shoes. If you suspect that shoes are the cause of your child's foot pain, consider buying insoles for added comfort. Insoles help lift the heel and alleviate basic foot pains such as soreness and stiffness.

• If your child complains of pain when wearing a particular pair of shoes, you should replace them with a more suitable pair. Make sure your child has the proper shoes when playing sports or going outdoors to support their feet during physical activity.

Try the R.I.C.E. method. If your child's foot hurts after a day of activity, you can try using the R.I.C.E. method: Rest (rest), Ice (ice), Compression (bandage), and Elevation (elevate). This method can help manage immediate pain for hours or overnight. Here is how to do it:

• Let the child's foot rest and avoid intense physical activity.
• Wrap an ice pack or frozen vegetable bag in a towel and place it under the heel. Apply ice for 20 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes between ice applications, moving the ice pack to the top of the foot afterward.
• Wrap an elastic bandage (like an ACE bandage) around the foot to reduce swelling. The bandage should be snug but not too tight to cut off blood circulation.
• Elevate the foot by placing it on a pillow or several folded blankets. This will help reduce pain and swelling.
• Take over-the-counter pain relievers if needed. Pediatricians often recommend ibuprofen for temporary pain relief.

Seek specialized care if your child’s foot pain persists for several days. If home remedies haven’t relieved the pain, it’s time to consult a doctor. Typically, a pediatrician or an orthopedic specialist can treat foot pain. In some cases, you may be referred to a foot and ankle surgeon or a podiatrist.

• A podiatrist will help identify the cause of the pain and is trained to treat growth plates, bones, and soft tissue in the developing feet of children.

Purchase antifungal ointment for athlete's foot. If your child is diagnosed with athlete’s foot, the doctor may prescribe antifungal creams or powders. The treatment should last about 4 weeks, and then continue for an additional week to ensure the fungal infection is completely eradicated.

• Switch your child to moisture-wicking socks to prevent further fungal growth. Avoid shoes made from non-breathable materials like vinyl, as they can increase moisture and foster fungal infections.

Allow the podiatrist to examine your child’s feet. The doctor may ask your child to sit, stand, raise their toes, or stand on tiptoes. The doctor will also check the Achilles tendon for tightness and inspect the soles of the feet for corns, warts, ingrown nails, cuts, or abrasions.

• You may also be asked if anyone in your family has flat feet or a history of neurological or muscular disorders.
• The doctor may recommend an X-ray to evaluate the foot's bone structure.

Discuss treatment options with your doctor. After examining your child’s feet, the doctor will diagnose the cause of the foot pain. If your child has flat feet but it’s not severe, or if the condition is Sever’s disease (pediatric heel pain), the doctor may suggest non-surgical treatments such as:

• Rest and avoiding activities that exacerbate the pain until symptoms subside.
• Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications.
• Stretching exercises to loosen the Achilles tendons in both feet.
• Arch support insoles for shoes (available without a prescription).
• Custom orthotics to balance the foot and support sensitive areas.
• Physical therapy to strengthen weak areas of the feet.

Consider surgery if your child has severe flat feet. In some cases, non-surgical treatments may not be effective, and your child may require foot surgery. A podiatrist will refer you to a foot surgeon for a consultation regarding the surgical procedure.

• Most foot surgeons recommend surgery only for children aged eight or older. Flat foot surgery typically involves the surgeon lengthening the child’s Achilles tendon. The surgeon will also lengthen the heel bone by inserting a bone graft along the outer side and the midfoot, in a procedure called heel bone lengthening surgery.