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Parents
should encourage their children to participate in sports,
but never forget that competition should be fun. Too much
emphasis on winning can alienate a child from athletic
competition.
Children active in sports programs will improve their
cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, coordination,
and state of mind. Participation in sports develops a
sense of self discipline, teamwork, and recognition of the
importance of a healthy body -- good habits that last a
lifetime.
Training
Emphasis
Every child physically matures at his or her own rate,
and has a different degree of athletic ability. No amount
of training can improve a child's natural athletic
ability, but training helps improve coordination, and
therefore performance.
Early training should emphasize proper technique and basic
movement skills in all sports, especially in children
younger than 10. Podiatric physicians, specialists in
treating the lower extremities, say children who
concentrate on a single sport at too young an age are more
likely to develop injuries of the foot and ankle. Save
specialization in sports for the late teens, they advise.
Warming up before participating in sports is more
important for adults than children, but it helps loosen
the muscles and prevent injuries in athletes of all ages.
Light jogging and smooth stretching exercises (be sure not
to bounce when stretching) are all that's necessary for
young athletes. Learning to stretch at an early age will
set a good pattern for sports activities as the body
develops.
Footwear
Whether parents like it or not, part of a child's
image revolves around footwear. Expensive sneakers have
become fashion statements as much as athletic equipment.
But for good foot health, the condition of the shoe is
more important than the price tag or brand name.
Podiatric physicians agree it's often better to buy a
child two $50 pairs of shoes than a single $100 pair, so
the shoes can be rotated, to avoid rapid wear
deterioration. Excessive wearing of the outsole, loss of
shoe counter support, or wearing out in the midsole
indicate it's time to replace the shoes.
Because a child's feet are constantly growing, it is
important to allow at least one finger's width from the
end of the longest toe when buying shoes. Remember, proper
fit is very important. You can have the best shoe in the
world, but if it doesn't fit right, it doesn't do its job.
In the shoe store, children should put on both shoes, with
their athletic socks and the laces tied tight, for several
minutes to properly check the shoes' fit. Shop for shoes
in the afternoon, when the feet are naturally slightly
swollen.
In young children, an "all purpose" sports shoe works well
for most sports. A running-specific shoe is not suitable
as an all purpose shoe; moving laterally in a running shoe
is more difficult and presents greater risk of injury for
children. After the age of 10, sport-specific shoes can
help improve performance and protect the feet. With the
exception of the running shoe, a degree of crossover
between sporting shoes is usually not harmful to the feet
of a child athlete.
Rubber cleats are not usually necessary for children under
10, though they pose little potential harm for them. They
are most useful on a soft-field sport such as soccer.
Podiatric physicians recommend molded shoe rubber cleats
rather than the screw-on variety. Metal baseball spikes
can be dangerous and should not be used until the teenage
years.
Growing
Bones and Ligaments
The immature bones of children are different from
those of adults. The "growth plates" in children's bones
do not finish closing until age 15-17 in boys and 13-15 in
girls. When stressed, these plates are more susceptible to
injury than the tendons and ligaments that support the
joints. Ligaments tend to "give" before bones in adults.
Podiatric physicians warn repetitive overuse can cause
inflammation of the growth plates. They advise parents to
promote diverse physical activities for their children
rather than one sport. This is especially important with
individual sports such as running, gymnastics, and tennis,
which require long hours of practice.
Statistics show children who concentrate on just one sport
for long hours at a time are setting themselves up for
injuries. Because of the susceptibility of bones with open
growth centers to overuse injuries, sponsors of the Boston
Marathon recently increased the minimum age to participate
from 16 to 18.
A sports medicine podiatrist can offer a thorough
examination of the entire lower extremity, and identify a
leg length imbalance, weakness, or biomechanical
imbalances that may need to be addressed to prevent
injuries on the athletic field.
Injuries
and Treatments
Many children suffer from mild "torsional" imbalances,
commonly known as in-toeing and out-toeing. Most children
outgrow these imbalances without medical treatment.
However, if a child has obvious torsional imbalances, he
or she may be more susceptible to injury. If that is the
case, keep a close eye out for foot and ankle injuries
associated with sports activity. Foot injuries commonly
seen in very active children include:
Ankle Sprains. In older children, stretched or torn
ligaments in the ankle, known as sprains, are more common
than fractures. A sprain may cause extensive swelling
around the ankle just like a fracture. Immediate treatment
is crucial to quick healing. A podiatric physician can
provide treatment as well as recommend balancing and
strengthening exercises to restore coordination quickly.
Fractures. Fractures from overuse in child-athletes
are commonly seen in podiatric medical offices. Growth
plates are particularly susceptible to injuries, but
mid-shaft fractures of the bone also occur. If a fracture
is not severe, rest and immobilization may be the best
treatment. More complicated injuries may require casting
or surgical correction. If swelling and pain persist, see
a podiatric physician.
Sever's Disease. An inflammation of a growth plate,
Sever's Disease is often felt as pain behind the heel
caused by inflammation of the apophysis, a growth center
where a tendon is attached to the bone. Rest, ice, and
heel lifts are usually prescribed.
Shin splints and stress fractures. Shin splints are
microtears or inflammation of the anterior leg muscles, as
are Achilles tendon pulls in the posterior region of the
leg. Again, rest is most important in healing these
injuries. If pain is persistent, see a podiatrist, who can
recommend strengthening exercises, certain shoes, or, if
indicated, prescribe custom-made shoe inserts known as
orthoses.
A Word to
Parents
All parents want to see their children do well in
sports. But putting too much pressure on a child to become
a star athlete may result in both physical and emotional
injury to the child. A child should enjoy playing a sport,
but if forced, could be turned away from all sports for a
lifetime.
Especially with individual sports such as swimming, figure
skating, and gymnastics that require long hours of
practice every day, be certain the child's heart is in the
endeavor, not just yours. When it comes to sports,
overzealous parents can potentially do their children more
harm than good.
Tips
-
Don't put
too much performance pressure on your child.
-
Don't let
children use running shoes for court sports. An ankle
sprain could result.
-
Change shoes
often.
-
Check the
sizing and wear regularly.
Your podiatric physician/surgeon has been trained
specifically and extensively in the diagnosis and
treatment of all manners of foot conditions. This training
encompasses all of the intricately related systems and
structures of the foot and lower leg including
neurological, circulatory, skin, and the musculoskeletal
system, which includes bones, joints, ligaments, tendons,
muscles, and nerves. |
