You may not realize how important it is to maintain proper foot care for your children, which is why our team of specialists with Family Foot & Ankle Associates of Maryland in Olney, Camp Springs/Clinton, Silver Spring, Kensington, Laurel and Maple Lawn, MD, have provided five ways to ensure your child receives necessary pediatric foot care.
Wearing The Right Footwear
As your child grows, it's important that their feet develop properly—not only to provide the necessary support for the weight our feet carry daily, but also by preventing potential future foot issues.
We know how quickly children grow out of their clothes and shoes, but for as active as children are, their feet will need to keep up with them! When buying shoes for your children, we recommend keeping the following in mind:
- try not to shop online—similar to other clothing items, shopping online does not guarantee the correct fit.
- buy activity-appropriate shoes—if your child plays basketball, they should wear shoes meant for the squeaky court, not running shoes, and vice versa.
- remembering how their footwear should fit—you'll know your child's shoes fit when there's space (i.e. approximately the width of a thumb) between their longest toe, and the front of the shoe—enough for your child to wiggle their toes. You should also make sure their heel is snug, which keeps your child's feet from sliding around.
Routine Stretches
For children, most of their day-to-day lives will require endless movement on their feet. To avoid potential injuries, maintaining daily stretches that includes limbs, like the Achilles tendon, calf muscles, and ankles, will help to strengthen and develop their lower limbs.
Our team of podiatrists provide pediatric foot care in Olney, Silver Spring, Camp Springs/Clinton, Kensington, Laurel, and Maple Lawn, MD, that's sustainable and valuable for your child.
Keeping Clean
Getting your child to bathe is no easy feat, but it's essential to establish regularly cleaning their feet early in their life, as an additional measure to protect against any bacterial or fungal infections from occurring.
Nail Maintenance
Along with cleaning their feet regularly, keeping their toenails trimmed to an appropriate length—and using the correct technique—your child reduces their chances of developing ingrown toenails.
Nutritious Meals
Undoubtedly, you're familiar with the value of your child consuming the necessary nutrients they need—which includes their foot health! While protein promotes muscle health, calcium and vitamin D provide bone strength that your child's feet need.
Our team of specialists can provide pediatric foot care for your child in Olney, Camp Springs/Clinton, Silver Spring, Kensington, Laurel and Maple Lawn, MD, and to learn more, give us a call at one of our five convenient locations to schedule a visit:
- Olney, MD: (301) 924-5044
- Silver Spring, MD: (301) 439-0300
- Camp Springs/Clinton, MD: (301) 868-7670
- Kensington, MD: (301) 942-8110
- or for our offices in Laurel and Maple Lawn, MD: (301) 317-6800