Soccer season is in full swing and we urge parents and coaches to think twice before coaxing young, injury-prone soccer players to “play through” foot and ankle pain.
Skeletally immature kids, starting and stopping and moving side to side on cleats that are little more than moccasins with spikes is a recipe for foot and ankle sprains and worse.
Kids who play with lingering, nagging heel pain that, upon testing, turns out to be a stress fracture that neither they, their parents nor their coaches were aware of. By playing with pain, the young athlete can’t give their team 100 percent and make their injuries worse, which prolongs their time out of soccer.
Symptoms of stress fractures include pain during normal activity and when touching the area, additionally swelling without bruising. Treatment usually involves rest and sometimes casting. Some stress fractures heal poorly and often require surgery, such as a break in the elongated bone near the little toe, known as a Jones fracture.
Soccer is a very popular sport in our community, but the constant running associated with it places excessive stress on a developing foot. Additionally, pain from an overuse can stem from inflammation, such as around the growth plate of the heel bone, more so than a stress fracture. Children’s growth plates are still open and bones are still growing and maturing until they’re about 13 to 16 years old. Rest and, in some cases, immobilization of the foot should relieve that inflammation.
Other types of overuse injuries are Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis (heel pain caused by inflammation of the tissue extending from the heel to the toes).
Quick, out-of-nowhere ankle sprains are also common to soccer. Ankle sprains should be evaluated immediately to assess the extent of the injury. If the ankle stays swollen for days and is painful to walk or even stand on, it could be a fracture.
Collisions between soccer players can take their toll on toes. When two feet are coming at the ball simultaneously, that ball turns into a cement block and goes nowhere. The weakest point in that transaction is the foot, with broken toes the outcome. The toes swell up so much the player can’t get a shoe on, which is a sign for young athletes and their parents: If they are having trouble just getting a shoe on, they shouldn’t play and be seen for further evaluation and treatment.
For further information or to schedule an appointment, please give our office a call, 216-459-8616. We are here to help!
William E. Donahue, DPM, FACFAS
