Foot pain in children is not normal.  We are always concerned about our children and want the best for them. How do you know if they have pain that it should be looked at. By who should it be looked at, is another important question. There are many reasons a child can have foot pain, they may have injured themselves during sports or they may not like participating in sports because their feet and ankles always hurt. Do you find your child constantly tripping are you concerned that your child is always walking on their toes. Does your child constantly get ingrown toenails. Are there growths on the skin of your child on the bottom of their feet. These are all good reasons to have your child looked at. Sometimes it could be something as simple as a sprain but sometimes it could require an x ray because there is a concern for a tarsal coalition, which is a condition where their bones do not separate and two or more bones in the feet are stuck together not allowing the proper motion in the foot. These are serious issues that if not addressed can lead to a child not wanting to be active and not participating  in sports and general activities . The reason one needs to be concerned about ones child activity levels is because an inactive child can lead to unhealthy weight gain. That can predispose them to diabetes and heart disease and all the diseases that are associated with  being overweight. In future blog posts we will discuss specific conditions and specific treatments available to keep your child’s feet healthy. in particular we will discuss the role of orthotics and custom orthotics and how they can stop pain and prevent injury. Also a common question parent have is when does flatfoot require surgery . Feel free to contact me with any questions.