CHILDREN'S FEET services
Supporting Happy, Healthy Development
Childhood is full of bumps and bruises, but persistent pain or issues hindering growth should never hold kids back. At Buderim Foot & Ankle, our decades of experience in paediatric podiatry empower children to thrive in active, sporty lives—free from discomfort or avoidable injuries. From sports-related sprains and strains to foot pain caused by ill-fitting shoes like soccer cleats, we’re here to treat and prevent them with care.
Understanding Children’s Foot Development
Parents often worry about their child’s flat-looking feet, but this is usually normal in early years as bones, muscles, and ligaments develop.
In the first few years of development our feet and legs undergo a lot of structural changes as part of normal development which affect the shape of our feet and walking pattern or “gait”.
These include torsional changes in the bones of the legs and knees, increase in the strength of muscles and ligaments and improvement in balance and co-ordination. These factors produce many changes in the appearance of the young child’s feet and legs which may be normal. For this reason treatment of flat feet is rarely required before the age of about 5-6 years after these early developmental changes have occurred.
When to seek assessment
Bring your child in if they experience:
- Pain in feet, knees, or lower limbs.
- Fatigue during activities.
- Dysfunction, such as frequent trips, falls, repeated injuries, or ankle sprains.
Early checks can address concerns like growth plate injuries, biomechanics, paediatric foot posture, verrucae, and more.
Conditions We Treat
We help with common children’s foot issues, including:
- Foot Drop: Weakness causing the foot to drag.
- Growing Pains: Nighttime aches in legs.
- Children’s Foot Pain (Severs’ Disease): Heel pain from growth plate irritation.
- Gait Concerns / Intoeing Gait: Inward-pointing toes or unusual walking patterns.
- Hypermobility: Overly flexible joints leading to instability.
- Flat Feet: Low arches affecting posture.
- Ingrown Toenails: Common in adolescent boys, where nails curve into skin.
Our Services for Children’s Feet
Tailored for kids and adolescents, including sports like netball, basketball, soccer, and hockey:
- Gait Analysis: Assessing walking/running patterns to spot issues.
- Exercise Prescription: Custom stretches and strengthening for muscle function, balance, and coordination.
- Footwear Advice: Recommendations for supportive shoes to aid development.
- Orthosis Options: Cost-effective inserts or braces for alignment.
- Ingrown Toenail Surgery: Safe removal under local anesthetic for persistent cases.
Book an appointment to support your child’s active, healthy growth.