How is it back-to-school time already? Montgomery kids are happily sporting their new backpacks, new shoes (if you haven’t gotten those yet, click here for tips on buying shoes for kids), and hopefully a fresh new attitude that has them looking forward to a great academic year! All of us at Montgomery Foot Care Specialists wish your family a bright and happy 2018-2019 school year.

If back-to-school means back-to-sports for your child, there are things we encourage you to think about when it comes to protecting your child’s feet. Let’s take a look at the risks posed to kid’s feet in two popular fall sports.

Volleyball and your child’s feet

Volleyball requires a lot of jumping up and down and also side-to-side. Such repetitive jumping can lead to bone fractures, Sever’s disease, and inflammation leading to Achilles tendinitis or posterior tibial tendon dysfunction.

The risks of these injuries can be lessened by the right shoes. Volleyball-specific sneakers are quite light, have soles designed for good traction on the court, and lots of strength in the midsole to support quick lateral movements.

Football and your child’s feet

The quick, side-to-side movements of a football player are similar to those in volleyball, making the choice of a good shoe important for this sport as well. Good-quality football cleats protect the foot while offering traction on slippery surfaces like grass and turf. A mere sneaker will never do in football.

Typical injuries to the feet that we see in football players include stress fractures, Lisfranc injuries, and turf toe.

What you can do to help prevent injury

Injuries will happen no matter how much you prepare. But here are some actions you and your child can take to promote good foot health on the field or court:

• Make sure kids are performing the proper stretching and warm-up routines before and after each practice
• Watch out for signs of excessive training, such as chronic pain or fatigue
• Get the proper amount of rest after an injury; don’t get back in the game until a doctor gives his or her full blessing
• Treat any injuries to the feet promptly. Especially with a growing child, an injury that isn’t checked out and properly treated by a foot doctor can cause further problems later on.

In the tri-county area, contact podiatrists Dr. Heidi M. Christie and Dr. Chanda L. Day-Houts for expert diagnosis and treatment of sports injuries to the feet. Our number is (334) 396-3668.