Back-to-School Pediatric Foot Health Countdown

It’s that time of year: back to school is right around the corner and at Goldsmith Podiatry we want to help your child go straight to the head of the class with feet that are healthy and protected. 

Use the countdown below to get ready:

Start with a checkup. Make an appointment at our New York city office so that our podiatrists, Dr. Howard Goldsmith or Dr. Rosanna Troia, can examine your child’s feet. This is particularly important if you child has an ongoing foot problem or has had an ankle or foot injury. The foot doctor will check to see the progression of your child’s condition and can make recommendations for shoe designs that will best accommodate your child’s specific needs.

Do some shoe homework. Assess your child’s shoe needs for the new school year. Chances are they have outgrown the shoes they were wearing when the last school year ended. Get children’s feet professionally measured. Don’t be surprised if one foot turns out to be larger than the other—this is more common than you would think. Buy shoes to fit the larger of the two feet. Will your child be participating in a sport this fall? If so, you may need a second pair of shoes that will be used for the sport. Each sport has shoes designed for the specific movement or activity required of that sport. 

Get in the shoe groove. If your child has spent the majority of the summer in flip flops or barefoot it’s time to get them back into shoes. Wearing sneakers or shoes several hours a day now will prevent foot pain when they start school. 

Time to get moving. Now is also the time to get your child off the couch and away from their phone or video games and into a more active routine. This is especially necessary if your child is going to be playing a sport this fall. Injuries such as shin splints, Achilles tendonitis and ankle sprains are more likely to occur if you go directly into a heavy practice schedule after being inactive for a period of time. Encourage your child to start stretching and conditioning the last few weeks before school starts.

If you have additional questions about your child’s podiatric health, don’t hesitate to contact us by calling: 212-877-1002.