Do you have questions about foot care? We have answers.


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  • Why does my child's ankles roll in?

    So often, when parents ask about their children's foot and ankle pain or appearance, they're told that the kid will grow out of it. I hate this response. No kid should have foot and ankle pain and when a parent notices their child's ankle rolls in it is a significant condition and shouldn't be ignored.

    Along with the rolling in of the ankle, which is seen as a large bulge on the inside of the ankle, you also likely noticed that your child has a flat foot. It's possible that your child is not particularly athletic and does not like to run or walk long distances. Older children may complain about their feet, ankles, or knees hurting while younger children may simply sit and cry when they are feeling pain. If you notice any of these signs, it's time to visit your Houston podiatrist who specializes in treating kids.

    Most of the time these children will not grow out of these conditions, but will develop the ability to compensate for them. This can lead to bunions, hammertoes, heel pain, knee pain, and arthritis developing later in life. Addressing the mechanics at a young age, often with a simple treatment involving insoles or custom orthotics, will keep your child active and prevent greater problems, which may require surgery, later on.

  • Why do my kids get ingrown toenails?

    Ingrown toenails are one of the most common reasons why children visit a podiatrist. There are several reasons why this is true. Most of the time, it is due to the toenail growing in wider than the nail bed. This forces the sides of the toenail to dig into the skin as it grows. The toenail will often be painless for years until there is minor trauma, such as a stubbed toe or tight shoe, causes the area to inflame or become infected.

    Other reasons for Houston kids to develop ingrown toenails is improperly trimming their toenails. Many children will angle the toenail into the skin, especially if the toenail or toe was becoming uncomfortable. This will cause a sharp point of nail to develop beneath the skin and cause a painful or infected ingrown toenail to form. Kids not trimming their toenails often enough can also cause the toenails to ingrow.

    It is important that an ingrown toenail in a child be seen by your Houston foot doctor as soon as impossible. Antibiotics alone will not work effectively and trying to be a "bathroom surgeon" will only make it worse. Contact our Houston podiatry office for an immediate appointment.

  • Why do my kids get plantar warts?

    Plantar warts are a manifestation of a virus that infects the skin. The lesion imbeds itself in the skin and often multiplies and spreads. Although everyone can get warts, it is particularly common in kids.

    The wart, or verruca plantaris thrives when the skin has a good blood supply and is well hydrated. A child's foot meets this need better than anything else, especially if their foot gets sweaty easily. For this reason, children are more susceptible to becoming infected with the virus and developing plantar warts. It is also common to have multiple warts develop as well. Don't wait for a wart to spread. Contact our office for an immediate appointment.

  • Will my kids outgrow their foot pain?

    No child should have foot pain! Pain is the body's way of letting you know that something is wrong. If a child consistently experiences pain during regular daily activity, it is important that you bring them to our office to find out why. I fact, a child experiencing foot pain, ankle pain, knee pain, hip pain, or back pain can all originate in the feet.

    This is not to say that kids won't have occasional pain. All children will experience "growing pains" or cramping at one time or another. This will typically last one or two days at a time, however. If this is the case, they do not have to go to the doctor. More active kids playing sports in Houston can also suffer injuries to the foot and ankle. These can include sprains and fractures. You should always have kids examined after significant sports injuries to ensure no damage has been done to the growth plates.

  • Is there anything I can do for my foot pain when I'm pregnant?

    Pregnancy provides many changes, not the least of which is a gain of weight in a short period of time. Because of the fast weight gain during pregnancy, as well as changes in mechanics and gait, the feet have to adapt to the additional pressure and can become painful. Unfortunately, NSAIDs, such as Advil or Aleve, would be most effective but cannot be used during pregnancy.

    There are many other ways to reduce foot pain when someone is pregnant (and with 3 kids here in Houston, I'm even more of an expert!). Many women find it easiest to slip on a pair of flip-flops. This is understandably convenient but is among the worst thing to do. The feet, more than ever, need support during pregnancy. I fact, without appropriate support, the feet will spread out and seemingly "grow" during pregnancy to where your shoes may be to small even after the baby is born.

    If you are expecting and find your feet getting increasingly more painful, try wearing a more structured shoe. If that doesn't do the trick, give us a call and schedule an appointment to find relief.