Parents Ankle pain from flat feet! How help?

[Gymmie’s Mom]

Hi! I’m new to posting here. Looking for any help anywhere I may find some!

My 13-y/o daughter (4th year on team, USAIGC) has developed persistent ankle pain which has worsened so they’re very sore for a day or even more after every practice. Ortho says her flat, pronating feet may likely contribute, but offered no help.

Has anyone else had this problem and have any ideas how to get help? An athletic trainer at ortho office recommended taping the arch/ankle, but was not authorized to work with us on that. He recommended finding an athletic trainer, but I don’t know how/where to do so. I asked her coaches, and they were going to confer, but no info back yet. I’m worried about meet season.

Thank you!

 

[NutterButter]

My DD has flat feet. Flat feet are very problematic for gymnasts. Have her see a podiatrist or a PT who has experience working with this. My DD needs to wear inserts at all times but she doesn't do any special taping for practice. My DD got fitted for her insert - there's alot on the market but she needs to wear a specific one (they are pricey too!).

 

[MuggleMom]

My DD had foot pain caused by an extra bone in her foot right where the tendon attached it was caught by a podiatrist when in doubt I would go to the podiatrist. Not much you can do but there was a brace she could wear during the day to help with the tendon and ice and ibuprofen to reduce inflammation

 

[Geoffrey Taucer]

General reminder to all: we discourage seeking or giving medical advice on chalkbucket. The best person for injury treatment is always a qualified doctor who has examined the athlete in person.

(Tips on injury prevention are fine, as are discussions of how to find the right doctor for your issue)

 

[Aussie_coach]

I would strongly recommend you see a Physiotherapist for this one. The feet have a big impact on the whole body, our feet support us day in and day out for our entire lives.

Intervention from a physio as young as possible, will make a huge difference to quality of life, avoiding joint and back problems which can stem from flat feet for the lifespan.

If you haven't working with a Physio before see your family doctor and see what they can recommend.

 

[Mom9024]

Hi, my 10-yr old is dealing with foot issues/pain to include pronation and flexible flat feet, so I'll steer my comments about our experience in a way that may help you find a good specialist.

We first took DD to our pediatrician who gave us a referral to a podiatrist because the rules in our state was anything below the ankle goes to a podiatrist. I wasn't sure what type of specialist at first (ortho, podiatrist). Your state medical board may have similar recommendations, depending on the source of your DD's ankle pain. Podiatrist was able to X-ray/diagnose DD (she has Sever's + flat feet), so he gave us tips on the appropriate foot and arch support, and pain management when he learned she was a gymnast. I did lot of research beforehand, and was ready with Qs.

The key was good communication and follow-up with her coaches about this. We have a H.C. who knows how to deal with common foot issues in athletes, so once we understood what was going on with DD, they were able to modify her practice, show her specific stretches, and knew how to tape her feet.

Your DD is the only one who knows when she's in pain, so encourage her to speak up so her coaches can adjust her practice if needed. Our podiatrist also recommended we keep a journal on when the pain flares up so we can pinpoint what's causing it. Now that the coaches have modified DD's training, she's much happier at practice and reporting less pain, and is still competing.

I hope this helps, and good luck in finding the right doctor.