Ruth Ann Cooper, D.P.M

Fall is not only "back to school" season for your children--it is also the time when school sports teams kick into high gear. Today many children are involved in several sports each season and it is not uncommon for a child to attend practices for two or more different sports on the same day.

If your children are involved in sports activities--especially those that are hard on their feet such as soccer, basketball, football and track--you should be on the lookout for overuse injuries. The bones, ligaments and tendons in children's feet are not yet fully developed and damage can occur when they are stressed from hours of sports participation.

Overuse Injuries Can Include:

·Achilles tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon connecting the heel bone to the calf muscle.

·Calcaneal apophysitis, an inflammation of the back of the heel at the growth plate due to muscle strain and repetitive stress.

·Plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot from the heel to the toes.

·Stress fractures or hairline breaks resulting from repeated stress on the bone.

·Tendo-Achilles bursitis, an inflammation of the fluid-filled sac located between the Achilles tendon and the heel bone.

Some children insist on continuing to play their sport even when they are in pain. Parents should note, foot or ankle pain in children is never normal. Allowing them to play through the pain with an injury can result in foot and ankle problems that may affect your child well into adulthood.

As a reference, any pain that lasts more than a few days or is severe enough to limit the child's walking should be evaluated in my Cincinnati office.