Children, like adults, are affected by certain foot problems. However, some foot conditions occur more frequently in children. These conditions include such maladies as ingrown toenails, plantar warts, and heel pain. Normal changes in the bones due to growth can exacerbate the aforementioned foot conditions.
#1 – How an Ingrown Toenail Develops
An ingrown toenail occurs when the edge of a nail, normally on the big toe, grows inside the adjacent skin. The resulting pain can lead to infection. While ingrown toenails are regularly experienced by adults, they are seen more often in teen patients. The footwear of the patient is often the culprit. Also, children frequently experience tighter-fitting shoes when growth spurts occur. As a result, pediatric foot problems such as heel pain or ingrown toenails often surface.
#2 – The Formation of Plantar Warts
Another one of the common pediatric foot problems in Kenosha, WI is the formation of warts. A plantar wart, which normally appears on the sole of a foot, is often believed to be a corn or callous. While warts can appear anywhere on the body, they normally occur on the sole. That is because this part of the body is more vulnerable to small traumas. As a result, the wart virus can more easily enter the body. Practitioners who focus on Kenosha pediatric foot problems believe that warts are seen more often in children because adults have had more time to build up an immunity to the wart virus.
#3 – The Development of Heel Pain
Another one of the common pediatric foot problems, heel pain, is caused by plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis presents itself as an inflammation of the heel bone in the section where the plantar fascia (a thick band of tissue) attaches to the bone. The pain usually affects the back of the heel. It is believed that the discomfort results from growing spurts. During these occasions, the Achilles tendon and calf muscles are tighter, which places more stress on the heel.