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Back to School Time: Does Your Student Athlete Need Custom Orthotics?
Back-to-school shopping is a late-summer tradition. You’re probably preparing to buy notebooks, backpacks, and pens. And if your child or teen is an athlete, you might have additional items to purchase, like mouthguards or cleats.
There could be another back-to-school item worth picking up. If your teen or child has a foot condition or complains about pain in their lower extremities, they might benefit from custom orthotics. These inserts go into their athletic shoes to provide extra cushioning and/or support for their foot’s unique needs.
Because they specialize in both orthotics and child and teen foot care, Christopher Vittori, DPM, and Ameet Thakrar, DPM, can help you determine if your student athlete would benefit from custom orthotics. If you’re not sure if these inserts are right for your child or teen, come see us at Vittori Foot & Ankle Specialist in Homer Glen or New Lenox, Illinois.
When to consider orthotics for your student athlete
There are a couple of signs that your student athlete might benefit from orthotics:
They complain about foot, ankle, or leg pain
Maybe you’ve asked your teen or child how they feel after a game, meet, or other event. Or maybe they’ve volunteered that they’re experiencing some discomfort. Either way, if it comes up, it’s worth taking action.
Usually, foot, ankle, and leg problems are easiest to address when you catch them early. If you let your student play through discomfort the whole season, you might end up with a serious issue on your hands.
Orthotics can help with everything from knee pain to shin splints. If your student-athlete has a nagging pain, come talk to our team. Even if orthotics aren’t the right solution, we can help you develop a plan to help them enjoy this season as safely and comfortably as possible.
They have a diagnosed foot issue
If you know your child has a foot problem, orthotics can often provide support so their foot can function its best. Since most school sports require running, jumping, and other high-impact movements, it’s particularly important to add orthotics to their athletic gear.
If your child has flatfoot, for example, regularly wearing orthotics — including when they play sports — can improve their symptoms and their arches, per a recent study.
The right orthotics for their feet
Not all orthotics are created equal. Store-bought ones might provide a little extra padding, but custom orthotics can do much more for young feet.
Dr. Thakrar and Dr. Vittori start with a base of either soft, rigid, or semi-rigid orthotics, depending on your child/teen’s needs. Then, we take a scan of their feet and send it to a lab to tailor the orthotic to the shape of their unique feet.
Once the orthotic is ready, your student-athlete tries it on. We make any adjustments needed to set them up for their season.
If you want to talk with a child and teen foot specialist about orthotics for your student-athlete, book some time with Dr. Vittori or Dr. Thakrar. Call us at Vittori Foot & Ankle Specialist, or schedule an appointment online today.
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