During July, we celebrate National Youth Sports Week. As many of our young patients begin to think about conditioning for fall sports, we at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center would like to share some information about how to protect your child’s feet and encourage safe sports participation.

Start Early

Participating in a sport has many benefits. It helps your child be physically fit and maintain a healthy weight and hopefully inspires them to develop a healthy lifestyle. While it may seem like the start of the school year is still far away, it takes time to get a body properly conditioned for a sport. If your child has spent the summer glued to their phone and video games, it’s essential that they get off the couch and start some regular physical activity. Check with your child’s coach to see if there are specific conditioning exercises that are recommended.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Before the start of a new sports season, it’s a good idea to get a checkup with one of our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria M. Foley or Dr. Constance Ornelas. You can call our Long Beach office at (562) 420-9800 to schedule an appointment. The foot doctor can do a complete examination of your child’s feet and ankles and also follow up on any previous sports injuries. If there are chronic conditions such as weak ankles or Sever’s disease, the podiatrist can make recommendations for shoe designs and strategies to help reduce discomfort and risk for injury.

Check the Shoes

The most important piece of equipment for any sport is your shoes. Some tips to consider:

• Buy shoes that are designed for the sport that your child is doing. Different sports require different types of movement for your feet, and today’s sports shoes are designed to accommodate the specific moves associated with a particular sport.
• Get your child’s foot professionally measured. Even if your child has played the sport before, chances are they will have outgrown last season’s shoes.
• Don’t buy big—yes, it’s frustrating how often kids shoes need to be replaced, but a snug fit prevents blisters and feet slipping around which, can result in ankle sprains and other injuries.

If you have additional questions about your child’s feet and sports, don’t hesitate to contact us.