Babies are born with flat feet, this is due to weak muscle tone in their feet, lots of fat padding and loose ankle ligaments which causes the feet to lean inwards. As the foot develops with age and the child masters walking you will notice the ligaments and muscles strengthen and the fat pad around their arch isn’t as noticeable and by the age five their arches should be normal.
Does you child experience any of the following?
Complains of tired legs whilst standing or walking for a long period of time
Sits down and doesn’t want to partake in activities
Trips over
Has one foot turning in more than the other
Wears shoes unevenly
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these, then book an appointment to have your child’s feet assessed by one of our Podiatrists, we will take the time to assess family history, perform muscle and joint tests, look for reflexes and watch your child walking. For your peace of mind it is best to seek professional advice as sometimes children just don’t ‘grow out of things’.
Have you noticed that you toddler is walking with either one or both of their feet turned inwards, this is called ‘pigeon-toed’. Well the good news is in most cases this should resolve itself by the age of three and five and it is usually a sign of developing posture and balance. If however the leg and hip as well as the foot are involved this could make things a bit more complicated and may require earlier intervention. Your child may trip over frequently and this may be a concern to you as it can lead to an injury. Our Podiatrists will perform a Paediatric assessment on your child which includes a gait analysis and muscle testing. They may recommend changes in footwear, exercises and also possible orthotics to assist in treating this problem.
Also known as ‘Papilloma’, this viral skin infection is contagious. The virus appears as a raised discoloured area on the skin and can be painful or itchy. People often catch this virus whilst on holidays or at the swimming pool. Plantar warts are sometimes misdiagnosed as corns and the longer they are untreated, the larger the virus grows, resulting in a longer treatment plan. There are several treatment options that our Podiatrists can suggest. Our podiatrists can also advise you on how to protect yourself from being infected again.
Athlete’s foot also known as Tinea Pedis is a fungal infection that can occur in the foot. Athlete’s foot is very common in between the toes and along the arches. Children are exposed to this infection in places such as public pools and barefoot activities such as Taekwondo. Athlete’s foot can present itself as an area of red, itchy and peeling skin. Often it is misdiagnosed as dry skin. It is best not to delay treatment as Athlete’s foot infection can spread into the toenails causing a Fungal toenail infection. Our Podiatrists are experienced in diagnosing the problem correctly and may recommend some anti-fungal medication and provide you with advice on how to manage the condition.
Ingrown toenails
An ingrown toenail (onychocryptosis) results from the edge of the toenail growing down and into the soft skin on the side of the toe. There is associated pain, redness, swelling and at times pus may be present. The big toe is particularly prone to this painful condition. Ingrown toenails can be caused by incorrect trimming technique, trauma (such as stubbing your toe), nails that naturally curve too sharply or wearing tight shoes. Depending on the severity of the Ingrown toenail our Podiatrist can treat this problem. During its early stages an Ingrown toenail can be treated in a few minutes providing you with much needed relief.
If the Ingrown toenail has been longstanding then our Podiatrists are trained to perform a surgical procedure to correct this problem. The Surgery is performed at our Clinic underneath a Local Anaesthetic. The nail edge is permanently removed and you are able to return to work within a few days of the procedure. This procedure can also be claimable under your Private Health Fund.
Call Glad Feet Podiatry on (03) 90773239 to make an appointment today if you have any of these concerns.