Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Children's Sports and Feet Injuries
There are many sports that children participate in and the starting age for training starts earlier every year. Parents should allow their children to participate in sports but be mindful of the potential for sports injuries, particularly to the feet.
According to the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine (AAPSM), athletic training for children, especially those under age 10>, should take into account each child’s physical ability and coordination and should emphasize the proper technique and movement for each sport.
Podiatric physicians, specialists in feet and legs, say children who only play one sport at a very young age could develop injuries to the foot and ankle.
Other skills important for young children to help protect their feet include:
- warming up before starting
- light jogging
- smooth stretching exercises
Take care when purchasing shoes
Podiatric physicians recommend buying children two $50 pairs of shoes so the shoes can be rotated so they don’t wear out too quickly, and they should be aware of any wearing out and replace the shoes as soon as they see it.
And the AAPSM reminds parents to also watch for when the child outgrows the shoes. Proper fit and good quality are important to protect the children’s feet. Because a child’s feet are constantly growing, it is important to allow at least one finger’s width from the end of the longest toe when buying shoes. Remember, proper fit is very important.
In the shoe store, children should put on both shoes, with their athletic socks and the laces tied tight, for several minutes to properly check the shoes’ fit and shop for shoes in the afternoon, when the feet are naturally slightly swollen.
For children under age 10, an all purpose sports shoe will work for most sports, according to the podiatrists. After age 10, shoes for each specific sport will help protect the child’s feet. Molded shoe rubber cleats are better than metal spikes, but are not necessary for children under age 10.
Children’s growth plates
Young children are still growing and their growth plates don’t finish closing until age 15-17 in boys, and age 13-15 in girls. These growth plates are susceptible to injuries. Repetitive use of the growth plates can cause them to become inflamed, according to AAPSM. Parents are advised to have their children participate in lots of different sports so they don’t specialize in one sport with long hours of practice that can aggravate the growth plates.
Common foot injuries:
- ankle sprains—stretched or torn ligaments in the ankle
- fractures—overuse of growth plates or mid-shaft fractures of the bone
- Sever’s Disease–an inflammation of a growth plate felt as pain behind the heel caused by inflammation of the apophysis
- shin splints and stress fractures–microtears or inflammation of the anterior leg muscles, or Achilles tendon pulls in the posterior region of the leg
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