Now that the warm weather is here children are getting outside and enjoying all that the summer has to offer. However, this can put a lot of wear and tear on your children’s feet. Orthotics can help. This article will address if orthotics are right for your child.

What Are Orthotics?

Orthotics are inserts that go inside your child’s shoe to offer extra cushioning and support. They can reduce the amount of pressure and strain on the muscle, tendon, and joints. These can be bought over the counter. There are also custom orthotics. The store-bought orthotics are one-size-fits-all while a podiatrist can specially design a custom orthotic that fits your child’s exact foot shape. This is usually done by making a mold of your child’s feet by an experienced specialist.

What Can Orthotics Do?

There are several conditions for which orthotics help. Orthotics are designed to improve:

• Pain
• Soreness
• Muscle strength in the foot
• Posture
• Balance
• Coordination
• Alignment of the feet

 

How to Tell if Your Child Needs Orthotics

It can be difficult to address children’s foot issues because they often have trouble articulating their problems, but look out for these warning signs:

• Toe walking
• Abnormal foot placement
• Complaints about pain or soreness
• Frequent tripping
• Trouble walking

If your child is experiencing any of these problems it’s important not to wait. Contact a podiatrist right away to prevent further complications.

For more tips or if you’re having any problems with your feet, you can count on the foot doctors at Foot & Ankle Specialists, PC to provide fast relief for your feet using a full range of both conservative and surgical therapies. Our expert team, including board-certified podiatrists Dr. Scott E. Hughes, Dr. Greg P. Vogt, and Dr. Christine I. Tumele, serves patients of all ages with state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technologies including onsite digital x-ray, ultrasound, diabetic shoes, and digital scanning for custom orthotics.

For any questions or to make an appointment, please contact us at one of our Southeast Michigan facilities in Monroe (734-241-0200) and Lambertville (734-856-8900) (Bedford and Monroe counties). We also offer convenient house calls Monday through Thursday, so give us a call!