Children's Podiatry

What Parents Usually Bring In

• Flat feet, or arches that look lower than a sibling's
• In-toeing or out-toeing — walking with the feet turned in or out
• Toe walking
• Heel pain in an active child, often around ages 8 to 14
• "Growing pains", or aching legs in the evening or overnight
• Tripping, clumsiness, or tiring noticeably faster than peers
• Reluctance to walk distances, or asking to be carried more than expected
• Ingrown or painful toenails, warts and skin problems

Much of this is normal development

Many of these are ordinary stages. Most toddlers have flat-looking feet because the arch develops through childhood, and a degree of in-toeing is common in young children and frequently resolves without treatment.

That is genuinely reassuring, and it is also why assessment is worthwhile rather than pointless: the value is in distinguishing the normal variation that needs nothing from the smaller number of presentations that benefit from early support. Being told that something is developing normally is a useful result.

Worth booking an assessment if

• Your child is in pain — children's musculoskeletal pain should not be dismissed as growing pains without being looked at
• There is a limp, or a clear difference between one side and the other
• They avoid activity they used to enjoy, or cannot keep up
• Walking is regressing rather than progressing
• Toe walking persists beyond the early years
• There is a family history of foot or lower limb problems

What the Appointment Is Like

Appointments are unhurried and nothing about the assessment is uncomfortable. We will:

• Ask about the pregnancy and birth history, milestones, and what you have noticed
• Watch your child walk, and run if they are happy to
• Check joint range of movement, muscle strength and flexibility
• Assess alignment from the hips down, since the foot is the end of a longer chain
• Look at footwear, which for growing feet matters more than most families expect

Please bring the shoes your child wears most, including school shoes and sports shoes.

How We Help

• Explaining what is normal development, and what we will simply keep an eye on
• Footwear guidance appropriate to their age and activity
• Stretching or strengthening activities, kept simple enough to actually get done
• Activity and load advice for sporty children, including heel pain management
• Custom orthotics where there is a clear functional reason, not as a default
• Treatment of nail and skin problems, including ingrown toenails and warts
• Referral or liaison with your GP or paediatrician where something falls outside podiatry

Where we recommend review rather than treatment, we will say so and explain what we are watching for. Not every finding in a growing child needs intervention.

Common Questions

At what age can a child see a podiatrist?

There is no minimum age. We see toddlers whose parents have concerns about walking, through to teenagers with sporting injuries. If you are worried, it is reasonable to have it looked at rather than wait.

Are flat feet in children a problem?

Often not. The arch develops through childhood, so flat-looking feet are common in young children and frequently need no treatment. Flat feet that are painful, stiff, or clearly different on one side are worth assessing.

Does my child need orthotics?

Not usually. Orthotics are recommended when there is a specific functional reason, not simply because an arch looks low. Footwear advice and a simple exercise program are more often what is needed.

Should growing pains be checked?

Aching legs in the evening are common in childhood and often benign, but pain that is persistent, one-sided, present during the day, or limiting activity should be assessed rather than assumed to be growing pains.

Do you need a referral for children's podiatry?

No referral is needed to book. A GP referral may be required if you intend to claim through Medicare, and some children are eligible under NDIS.

This page is general information about a common foot condition and is not a diagnosis. If your child is in pain or you have concerns about their development, please seek assessment rather than waiting. Last reviewed September 2026 by the podiatry team at The Foot and Ankle Specialists.