Keep your children injury-free during the holidays

The school holidays are on and sporting activities are on hold. How do you stop your kids from staying indoors, glued to their devices all day? Keeping active is vital for our children’s development while they grow. It helps them stay physically and mentally fit as well as develop healthy bones and joints. So, go ahead and get them to sign up for a holiday camp or a sports team, but keep these tips in mind to ensure that their feet are looked after.

Wear the right shoes

If your child is into different sports, it’s important for them to correct shoes to suit that particular sport. If not, it can lead to foot injuries due to their footwear wearing off and not providing the right support for their feet.

Try different activities

Engaging into the same physical activity day after day can put your child at greater risk of developing a repetitive stress injury. The growth plates in children’s bones do not mature up until the age of 15. If too much pressure is constantly applied without rest, these growth plates can become inflamed and become more susceptible to injury. To avoid this, encourage your child to mix it up: if they’re into intense physical sport like rugby, AFL or distance running, alternate this with activities that are more focused around flexibility like yoga, gymnastics, or pilates.

Be aware of foot injuries

Your children might remain unsupervised during the school holidays while you’re busy working and this might lead to injury while playing sport. If this happens, don’t stress. Get a doctor or podiatrist to determine how serious it is and get a treatment plan. Here are some common injuries that could occur:

Ankle Sprains

Sprains can result from running, or any intense team sport or physical activity. A sprained ankle involves a swelling around it and may take a while to heal. Treatment includes the Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (RICE) strategy and ankle exercises. With rest and proper treatment, most ankle sprains heal within 4 to 6 weeks.

Fractures

Fractures are more serious than sprains and are more common in children because their bones are growing and not yet fully developed, making them more fragile than adult bones. Fractures usually occur after a fall and results in pain and/or swelling around the injured area. A podiatrist can always help assess the seriousness of the fracture.

Sever’s Disease

It’s a common heel injury in children in which the growth plate in the lower back of the heel, where the Achilles tendon attaches, becomes inflamed and causes pain. Children can get Sever’s Disease if too much pressure is applied on the heel and there is little foot support to counteract that.

We’re here to help your children stay active

An active kid is a healthy kid. Don’t let the worry of injury keep your children from going outdoors and engaging in sport. If they do get injured, our podiatrists are here to assess the situation and treat them. Call any of our clinics to book an appointment these school holidays and let our podiatrists take care of your children’s foot health.

Bondi Junction: 9386 5400
Barangaroo: 8599 9811
St Ives: 9440 4600