Children’s Podiatry

Children’s Podiatry Services

  • Kids Playing Soccer — Sydney, NSW — Sydney City Podiatry

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Do you have children who play soccer in Sydney-area junior clubs? Like you, we want to help them be at peak physical condition.


Foot and leg injuries are the most common source of injury in soccer in Sydney. We place priority on active children’s foot health and functionality. At Sydney City Podiatry, with expertise in children’s podiatry services.


Our team worked with NSW soccer and the NSWIS academies for over 10 years and have significant experience treating numerous child foot problems—especially those in junior soccer players. We have been A League podiatrist for over 10 years and are currently podiatrists to Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners. 80% of injuries in the 2014 A league were to the lower limb.

We Offer a Variety of Foot Care options

Sydney City Podiatry has diagnosed, treated, and prevented child foot conditions for over 15 years. The most common form of injury we see in children is heel pain, which is partly related to growing development but occurs often in active sporting children and soccer players. Known as Severs Disease, this heel pain condition can be well managed without the need for extended rest. Our trained team can offer solutions to common children's foot problems, including the following:

  • Heel Pain/Severs Disease
  • Flat Feet
  • Tendonitis
  • Knee pain/Osgood Schlatter’s Disease
  • Shin splints/pain
  • Growing pains and aching legs at nighttime
  • Blisters
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Chronic ankle sprains
  • Ingrown toenails

When you need effective children’s podiatry services in the Sydney area, let our team help your child get back on his or her feet to enjoy playing soccer or other physical activities.

Our podiatrists care

At Sydney City Podiatry, our team members are both qualified and willing to serve your child. They belong to the Australian Podiatric Association, Sports Medicine Australia and are required to complete ongoing podiatric education. In addition, some of our members have played professional sports and therefore understand how your child feels when injuries occur.


We strive to give quality care to your child with up-to-date equipment and effective methods of treatment. Our experience with professional soccer clubs — including the Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC — has kept us motivated to help athletes with sport-related injuries.


We value the athletic ability of your child and will do all we can to keep his or her feet healthy and ready for the next game.

Don’t Hesitate to Choose Us

We are proud to offer comprehensive children’s podiatry services in Sydney. Visit our website or Call us on (02) 9884 9399 to schedule an appointment or ask any questions.

Flat feet

"Flat feet" is a common term to describe feet that pronate or roll in too much at the ankle and midfoot. The arch height in many of these feet is lower to the ground than what is considered average. Looking at these feet it is often apparent that a large bulging is present at the inside of the ankle joint.


All feet pronate and flatten; it is how the body naturally absorbs shock/pressures from the ground as you walk. However, if the foot flattens too much or at the wrong time during the natural walking cycle, this can be problematic. An important point is that a foot can appear to have a normal arch height when a person is standing, but still pronate or flatten excessively. A podiatrist is trained to assess this.


Flat/excessively pronated feet are associated with a number of lower limb overuse syndromes/pains including heel pain, ankle pain and shin pain. However, having a flat foot or a foot that pronates excessively is not a problem on its own; it is a combination of the flat foot and the activity level/type that may cause injury or pain.


If you have a flat foot and you are suffering symptoms related to the flat foot, that is when treatment should be initiated in most individuals. That said, there is a category of clients who do display foot mechanics so extreme that we recommend treating a flat foot in the absence of symptoms, particularly if they choose activities that put them at greater risk such as running, football, netball etc. This judgement is made based on a thorough walking/running biomechanical assessment in conjunction with a client’s own activity levels and types.


Appropriate footwear and orthotics are very helpful at managing any negative effects of a flat foot. Both not only solve many acute injuries but can also promote a lifetime of comfort when exercising while also reducing the chance of an injury reoccurring.

Ingrown toenails

An ingrown nail (Onychocryptosis) will occur when a portion of the nail forms a jagged edge (spicule) and begins to protrude into the surrounding tissue as the nail grows. Ingrown toenails are one of the most common reasons a client seeks the services of a podiatrist. They may occur because of poor nail cutting, direct trauma to the area, running in poorly fitted footwear or they may be due to a genetic predisposition which means the nails are too wide or too curled (involuted).


Ingrown toenails should be treated as quickly as possible as infection often occurs. Whilst antibiotics may sometimes be required, they alone are generally not a long-term solution for the problem. The nail spicule must be removed, as leaving it will not allow the wound to close and the area is likely to become infected or painful again.


We provide the following solutions:

  • Removal of the spicule. Following this, nail retraining is required to help the nail grow out past the skin fold or the problem will reoccur some months later. Thus, retraining of the problem nail is a vital part of solving the problem permanently.
  • In persistent and severe cases nail surgery or a partial nail avulsion may be required. This is a minor surgical procedure conducted under local anaesthetic in the podiatry rooms. A narrow problematic portion of the nail is removed using a strong alcohol solution to prevent any nail regrowth in the problem area. This is a permanent solution and has a success rate of over 95%.
  • We also offer advice to prevent recurrence of the problem.
  • Plantar Warts — Sydney, NSW — Sydney City Podiatry

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Plantar warts

Verrucae pedis (plantar warts) are benign lesions that occur on the bottom of the foot in both children and adults. They are caused by the Human 

Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is one of the more common viruses and is the same one that leads to warts on the hands and other areas. The virus is believed to be transported via water molecules and transmitted to others through tiny cuts and breaks in the skins surface. Walking barefoot in public amenities, locker rooms and swimming in public swimming pools are among the more common reasons people come in contact with the virus.


They can be painful and feel like a rock under the foot when walking if they are on a pressure point of the foot. Their appearance is also quite unpleasant with a plantar wart having a cauli-flowered appearance with tiny pigments throughout. The full extent of a plantar wart extends deep below the skins outer layer and explains why these lesions on the foot are more difficult to treat than a wart that appears on the hand.

We provide the following solutions:

  • Sydney City Podiatry has a strict veruccae/wart treatment protocol developed over many years of successful treatment. We use a combination of three different techniques founded on evidence-based research and our own experience which have been demonstrated as most effective. This treatment regime is repeated once a month until resolution. Cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen) is one of the three techniques employed and is very effective when combined with all three treatments. In most cases, the sooner the wart is treated after it appears the quicker it will resolve.
  • Advice to prevent the reoccurrence of this complaint.

Children’s footwear

Athletic footwear

The appropriate athletic footwear is determined based on the following:

  • The type of sport/physical activity
  • The individual foot biomechanics (see biomechanical assessment, put in a link here)
  • The compatible footwear brand and style that suits your foot shape/size best

We provide the following solutions:

  • Appropriate advice in relation to how to select the correct footwear

General footwear

The following are features of good footwear:

  • A firm heel counter that is a snug fit around the back of the foot to avoid slipping during physical activity
  • A fixation at the forefoot i.e., Velcro or lace-up
  • Sufficient depth and width at the toes. There should always be a short space between the tip of the longest toe and the end of the shoe.
  • A sole made from a material with good cushioning, stability, flexibility at the forefoot and non-slip outer sole

Growing pains

Sever's Disease is an irritation of the growth plate of the heel bone. It is a common complaint in active girls aged 9-12 and boys aged 11-13. It is aggravated by tight muscles, poor footwear, poor foot function, and activity. It can be a cause of significant pain in younger patients; however, it responds very well to treatment.


We provide the following solutions:

  • Diagnose the problem
  • Determine cause
  • Appropriate advice in relation to stretching and exercise
  • Appropriate advice in relation to footwear
  • Assistance with orthotics if required

In-toeing

In-toeing (Pigeon Toes) is a complaint when the toes point inward when walking. This is a common complaint in infants and young children due to the positioning of the hip, lower leg or foot. In most cases, the in-toeing position decreases as infants and children grow. It can be the cause of some walking difficulties such as tripping or excessive leg fatigue.


We provide the following solutions:

  • Determine cause
  • Appropriate advice in relation to stretching
  • Assistance with orthotics if required

Out-toeing

Out-toeing is a complaint when the toes rotate excessively outward when walking. This is a complaint secondary to the positioning of the hip, lower leg or foot. In many cases the condition does not prove to be a problem; however, leg muscle tiredness and avoidance of walking and standing may result.


We provide the following solutions:

  • Determine cause
  • Appropriate advice in relation to stretching
  • Assistance with orthotics if required

Have the professionals care for your children’s foot conditions effectively. Contact us today to book an appointment. 

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