How to Recognize and Treat Foot Problems in Youth Soccer
Soccer has one of the lowest injury rates of any youth sport, but sports and injuries, unfortunately, go hand in hand. With a little knowledge of safety and prevention, you can help your child reduce the likelihood of foot problems.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- Children's Sandals
- Running Shoes
- First Aid Kits
- Foot Buffers
- Foot Lotions
- Nail Clippers
- Pedicure Kits
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1
Watch for overpronation. This is when the feet roll inward too much, causing excessive stress on the tendons in the feet and subsequent pain.
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2
If your child is flat-footed (an inherited trait), try putting inserts into the shoes to raise the arches and prevent overpronation.
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3
Consider heel pain, which usually occurs in children under 13 whose fatty foot pads are underdeveloped. Heel pain can be caused by pounding up and down the field in undercushioned cleats. Use heel pads in walking shoes; treat heel pain with ice for the first couple of days to reduce swelling.
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4
Have chronic heel pain examined by a sports physician.
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5
Know the term Seaver's syndrome. This condition is caused when two parts of the heel bone don't properly fuse in a growing, active child. It is a common problem among youth athletes.
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6
Apply supportive taping of the heel as a preventive measure.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Make sure a medical kit is kept on the sideline.
Rest is important. Many times, foot problems mean that a child will have to take time off of playing. It's important to enforce rest when indicated or healing may be even further delayed.
Consider supportive shoes. Most soccer shoes can be made more supportive by the use of store-bought inserts. Another option is orthotics (custom-made shoe inserts).
