How to Keep Your Children’s Feet Safe This Summer

During the lazy, hazy summer months, children are very active, and playing outside and summer sports puts them at a higher risk of getting injured. Today Dr. Joel Segalman, Dr. Stephen Lazaroff, and Dr. Brittany Ciaramello at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC, in New Haven County and Fairfield County are sharing a couple of ways parents can help keep their children’s feet safe during the summer months.

Because they’re so active, children can be more vulnerable to ankle and foot pain from lack of protection and overuse injuries or ailments, such as plantar warts, sunburns, ankle sprains, and puncture wounds.

Proper footwear can prevent injuries. Flip-flops are a good way to prevent puncture wounds or cuts from hidden sticks and glass in the grass or on the sand. Flip-flops or shower shoes can also help prevent plantar warts, which are typically caused by making direct contact with a virus when walking in locker room showers and on pool decks.

Putting sunscreen on feet is another defensive measure to be considered during the summer. Many people remember to apply sunscreen to their face and shoulders, but often forget about their feet. When children are in flip- flops or barefoot at the beach, park, or pool, it is important to use sunscreen to prevent sunburns to their feet.

Running outside and participating in summer sports also increases the chance of children spraining an ankle. If your child shows symptoms of a sprained ankle, such as pain, soreness, difficulty walking, and swelling, use the RICE treatment method, which includes rest, ice, compression, elevation, so the ankle has time to heal and prevent the injury from reoccurring. Sprains that not properly rehabilitated or repeated sprains can cause chronic ankle instability.

Children are tough, and they typically bounce back quicker than adults do. If parents use these treatment methods, their children will be back up on their feet in no time at all. But if they are still feeling discomfort two or three days after the injury happens, they should make an appointment to bring them to see a podiatrist who can start them on a treatment plan, which may include traditional treatments and physical therapy, to make sure the injury heals properly and helps avoid further injury.

Don’t take any chances – if your child is experiencing any problems or issues with their feet, contact the offices Dr. Joel Segalman, Dr. Stephen Lazaroff, and Dr. Brittany Ciaramello, at Performance Foot & Ankle Specialists, LLC, in New Haven County and Fairfield County to schedule a consultation. You can reach our Waterbury office at (203) 755-0489 or our Newtown office at (203) 270-6724.