Search
Close this search box.

Paediatric/ Childrens Podiatry

Your Paediatric Podiatrist in Adelaide

At AC Podiatry we believe in acting early in a child’s life to maximise the benefit of any podiatric intervention be it treating nail problems, neuromuscular re-education, stretching exercises, footwear advice or orthoses (shoe inserts).

Children’s Feet

Children’s feet differ from those of adults as they are not yet fully formed.

Development

At six months of age the foot is still mostly cartilage, in fact the last bone doesn’t begin to form until children are about three years old.  By the time they reach eighteen years, most of the bones are fully formed.

Children’s feet are soft and pliable making them prone to damage from abnormal pressure such as poor fitting shoes.  Alternatively, the correction of deformity or poor foot function is easier due to the pliable nature of children’s feet.

Babies

Foot care can begin in infancy by keeping your baby’s feet unconstrained. Grow suits should always be loose around your babies feet. Making time for your baby to kick freely will help with the development of the muscles in the legs and feet.

Walking

Children generally begin walking between 10 and 24 months of age.

It is important to remember that each child is unique and will move through the developmental stages at their own pace. Each child follows a developmental sequence from lying to sitting, crawling, standing, cruising, walking to running, jumping and hopping. It is also important to understand that difficulties at any one of these stages, such as abnormal crawling or tripping when walking, could indicate other issues such as hypermobility. If you have concerns you should contact your podiatrist.

When your child first begins to walk shoes are not necessary indoors. Allowing babies to go barefoot or wearing good fitting socks, assists with healthy development of the foot and promotes the use of the intrinsic muscles of the foot.

Sometimes children walk with their feet pointed inward (in-toeing) or outward (out-toeing) depending on where they are along the developmental pathway. Generally speaking, prior to the age of 2 children will in-toe and from the ages of 3 to 7 years of age will out toe slightly. In most cases, these variations in walking are normal. However, if these patterns persist, or you have concerns, you should take your child to a podiatrist.

A child walking on their toes more often than not (toe-walking) is not a normal development and should be seen by a podiatrist.

Arch development is also an individual thing and is often genetic. This normally stabilises by the age of six or seven years of age and does not always indicate that a child will have problems with their feet.

Growing Feet

A child’s foot will double in size by age one and they are generally half their adult length by 18 months of age. Between the ages of 5 and 12 years growth is approximately 9mm per year, with adult foot size approximated between twelve to fourteen years of age in females and fifteen to eighteen years of age in males.

Frequent changes in the size of shoes and socks are necessary to make room for rapidly growing feet during childhood. Do a size-check every one to three months up to the age of three, every four months up to five and every six months from five years.

It is important that shoes are fitted by a specialist in children’s footwear to avoid injury and discomfort.

Footwear

Shoes should, above all, protect your children’s feet.

Fitting Footwear

  • Always have both feet measured for length and width
  • The shoe should fit the natural shape of the foot especially around the toes
  • The toe-box of the shoe should allow the toes to move freely and not be squashed from the top or the sides. Make sure there is 10mm growing room from the end of the shoe to the longest toe
  • Shoes should fit comfortably around the heel and not be too tight or too loose

Professional Advice

A check up with a podiatrist is recommended if:

  • You notice uneven shoe wear
  • You notice any skin rashes, hard skin, lumps or bumps on your children’s feet
  • Your child complains of recurrent pain in the feet and/or legs
  • Your child is constantly tripping or falling
  • Or you have any concerns at all about your children’s feet

Heel Pain

Heel pain can occur in growing children, usually between the ages of 8 and 13, especially as they increase their participation in sporting activities. In most cases this is a condition known as Sever’s Disease.

Heel pain that limits activity or is present all the time should be checked by a podiatrist. The podiatrist will be able to determine whether or not the heel pain is related to the developmental process and give advice about ways to alleviate symptoms.

Skin and Nails

Problems with skin and nails on your children’s feet may occur from time to time.

Some conditions (ingrown toe nails, athlete’s foot and warts) require treatment from a podiatrist, while others may be helped by changes in hygiene or shoes.

Warts

Children tend to be more susceptible to warts than adults, due in part to their less robust immune system.

Plantar warts that appear on the sole of the foot tend to be hard and flat, with a rough surface and well-defined boundaries. They can grow in clusters and become painful if left unchecked.

Make A Booking

Address: 101 Halifax Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000 

This location is a Bupa Members First provider.

Our Adelaide CBD clinic is located on the southern side of Halifax Street, between Pulteney Street and King William Road. Our building can be found opposite the Rob Roy Hotel.

Accessibility: Located on the ground floor.

Parking: Onsite patient car parking (directly out the front), ample free street parking.

Restroom Facilities: Yes

Opening Hours:

Tuesday:8.00am-4.00pm
Thursday:8.30am-5.00pm
Friday:8.00am-3.00pm

Address: 500 Magill Road, MAGILL SA 5072

Our Magill clinic is located inside the Move for Better Health Building working alongside iNform Health and Fitness, Move Physiotherapy, 360-Me Nutrition and NLC Psychology. This clinic can be found on the corner of Briant Road and Magill Road. 

Accessibility: Ramp facilities, located on ground floor, disabled parking.

Parking: Onsite free car parking, ample street parking.

Restroom Facilities: Yes

Tuesday:9.00am-5.00pm

Address: 277 Unley Road, MALVERN SA 5061

Our Malvern clinic is located inside the Move for Better Health Building working alongside iNform Health and Fitness, Move Physiotherapy, 360-Me Nutrition and NLC Psychology. This clinic can be found on the corner of Fisher Street and Unley Road.

Accessibility: Ramp facilities, located on ground floor, disabled parking.

Parking: Onsite free car parking, ample street parking.

Restroom Facilities: Yes

Opening Hours:

Monday:8.00am-2.00pm
Wednesday:8.00am-4.00pm
Saturday:8.00am-12.00pm

Address: Suite 5, 81-83 Smart Road, MODBURY SA 5092 

This location is a Bupa Members First provider

Our Modbury clinic is located on Smart Road, opposite the back entrance to the Tea Tree Plaza car park. The entrance to our car park is at the smaller roundabout, heading east up Smart Road.

Accessibility: Ramp facilities, located on ground floor, disabled parking.

Parking: Onsite free car parking, ample street parking.

Restroom Facilities: Yes

Opening Hours:

Monday:10.00am-7.00pm
Wednesday:8.30am-5.00pm
Thursday:9.00am-5.30pm
Friday:8.00am-4.00pm

Address: Level 1, 132-134 Fosters Road HILLCREST SA 5086

This location is a Bupa Members First provider.

Our Oakden clinic is located on Level One of the Oakden Medical Centre. The building is a two storey white building on the eastern side of Fosters Road, before reaching the Northgate Shopping Centre.  

Accessibility: Lift and ramp facilities, disabled parking.

Parking: Onsite free car parking, ample street parking.

Restroom Facilities: Yes

Opening Hours:

Monday:8.30am-7.00pm
Tuesday:8.30am-5.00pm
Wednesday:9.00am-5.00pm
Thursday:8.30am-4.00pm
Friday:8.00am-4.30pm