Children should see a podiatrist if they show any of the following signs: limping or reluctance to do normal activities, visible swelling, redness or deformity, pain during or after activity, unusual walking patterns, or changes in their skin and nails. Early intervention is important because children’s foot bones are still developing and problems are easier to treat before they fully harden. At Optimise Health, our podiatrists assess and treat a wide range of children’s foot conditions, including heel pain (Sever’s disease), ingrown toenails, flat feet, and gait issues. You don’t need to wait until things get worse. If something doesn’t feel right, we’re here to help.

It’s important to look after your child’s foot health as it is key to their development. Healthy feet allow our children to move freely and build coordination. Feet also play a big role in balance so keeping them healthy helps your child feel stable and safe to explore.

The bones in our feet are still relatively soft until we’re teenagers as they grow with us and adjust to carrying our changing height & weight. This means it’s important to watch out for potential development issues. Catching them as early as possible helps ensure the foot develops properly and doesn’t cause discomfort or difficulties walking once the bones have fully hardened. Some problems can be addressed in adulthood but it’s more difficult and invasive.

Here we’ll lay out five signs to watch for so you can get early intervention from us.

Sign 1: Limping or Unwillingness to do Normal Activities

As children adjust to their growing size it’s normal for them to be clumsy and hurt themselves. That’s why a limp after a fall that only lasts a couple of days is usually nothing to worry about. Any unexplained limp or one that continues more than a few days after the injury should always be checked with us or your doctor. That said, you never have to wait. If something doesn’t feel right or you’re concerned at any point, Optimise Health is always here to help and happy to see you sooner.

Potential issues indicated by a limp include:

• Weight-bearing difficulties due to a deformity
• Uneven leg lengths caused by hip issues
• Muscle tightness
• Chronic inflammation
• An underlying infection

If your child is resistant to taking part in their regular activities this is likely a sign they’re experiencing discomfort in their feet, or they feel unsteady. Children, especially younger ones, don’t always have the words to explain what’s wrong. That’s why it’s important to watch their behaviours for clues and check in with us if you think there may be an issue.

Sign 2: Visible Swelling, Redness, or Deformity

Swelling is a normal reaction in the body to injury or infection. If your child has injured their foot, it should begin to heal quickly, and the swelling shouldn’t last more than a few days. If it persists, we can check it for you.

Swelling without injury, especially if it’s of the whole foot rather than localised, could indicate an underlying issue such as an untreated infection. In rare cases, it could be a sign of juvenile arthritis so it’s always best to get it checked.

Redness in the feet could also indicate a number of issues. If it’s combined with itching and slight swelling, it could be an allergic reaction or dermatitis. Chilblains are usually a reaction to the foot being cold or damp often and they cause redness and discomfort.

It could also be a sign of Raynaud’s Syndrome, a circulation problem that causes visible changes usually in reaction to cold, or neurological issues that causes redness and burning.

Deformities to watch for include:

• Flat Feet: Children’s arches don’t develop straight away but continually flat feet after their first few years should be checked.
• Bow Legs: When your child’s ankles are together, if their knees are apart this is a sign of bowed legs. This is most common in younger children.
• Foot Direction: If your child’s feet point notably in or out when they’re standing comfortably this is a potential issue. Many children grow out of this but it’s best to have us assess it to confirm it’s not part of a deeper problem.

We will assess your child’s feet and ankles and decide if further investigations are needed and take steps to help ease any discomfort your child may be experiencing with the redness, swelling, or deformity.

Sign 3: Pain During or After Activity

Children are naturally more mobile than adults so it’s unfortunately common for sprains and small injuries to occur. If you think this is what’s causing your child’s discomfort, it’s best to consult with us to make sure you know how to treat these sprains to prevent problems that could develop if they don’t heal properly.

As children grow quickly and increase their physical activity, they can experience discomfort while they’re running around. Most of the time this is just growing pains as their bones and muscles shift quickly.

It’s always best to check with us though as there are potentially more serious reasons for this such as small fractures, inflammation such as plantar fasciitis, or tight muscles causing gait issues.

Sign 4: Unusual Walking Patterns

Many children have periods where they have unusual walking as they adjust to their new height. If this continues for more than a week or so at a time or is disrupting their usual activities, it’s time to get it checked out. Things to watch for include:

Toe-Walking: Toddlers often walk on their tiptoes and tend to grow out of it quite quickly. If your child continues walking on their toes after the age of 3 it could be a sign of a deformity causing weight-bearing issues.

Flat Feet: As we mentioned above, your child doesn’t develop arches straight away. However, if you notice their feet are still flat after their first few years then it’s time to check in with us. A great way to check their arch placement is to look at any wet footprints they’ve made while playing and see if you can see an obvious arch space.

Worn-Out Shoes Unevenly: Children get through shoes rapidly of course but if you notice that one shoe is always wearing down quicker it’s time to make an appointment. This suggests their gait is uneven so they may have discomfort or a deformity in one foot and are favouring the other.

Sign 5: Changes in Skin or Nails

The toenails and the skin on your child’s feet can give a good indication of their overall foot health. Signs to watch for include:

In-Grown Toenails: These are more common in children as their nails grow and change. Watch for red and swollen areas either side of the toenail that are tender if pressed on.

Black or Discoloured Toenails: This is most common after an injury where the nail is squashed causing a bleed underneath. It should grow out but if it’s staying around a few weeks after the injury, it’s best to make sure it’s not a larger problem.

Warts or Verrucas: These look like a build-up of skin and often have small black marks on them. They’re caused by a virus and can cause discomfort especially if shoes and socks rub on them so we can help remove them.

Heel Pain (Sever’s Disease): This is one of the most common complaints we see in children, particularly active kids between 8 and 14. It causes pain at the back of the heel and is often triggered by growth spurts, sport, or increased activity. If your child is complaining of heel pain or starting to walk on their toes to avoid discomfort, it’s worth getting it checked out.

Choose our Child Podiatry Services

At Optimise Health, we take your child’s foot health just as seriously as you do. We’ll help your child get back to moving around normally as quickly as we can. Read more about our children’s podiatry services.