Kids love games and puzzles, but these childhood favorites don’t have to be left behind when you hit the teen years or even adulthood. The puzzles just have to get harder, which is exactly what the Austin Panic Room provides. This teen and adult experience has you work with others to escape a room packed with puzzles. It’s a fun chance to challenge your brain. Other less pleasant things don’t change from youth to adulthood, either, like adolescent bunions. Fortunately, these can be treated conservatively to eliminate the pain.
Although bunions are most common in adults, they aren’t restricted by age. Adolescent and children’s bunions can cause just as much discomfort and difficulty as those affecting adults. Typically the deformity develops in girls between the ages of 10 and 15, though it can affect older and younger adolescents outside that range as well. The problem is the result of an inherited foot shape or biomechanical problem that is then aggravated by footwear and activity.
Like other bunion issues, though, adolescent bunions can be treated conservatively—and should be. The condition is progressive and could seriously damage your teen or child’s lower limbs if allowed to worsen. Treating the problem slows or stops the deformity and relieves the pain. Here are a few of the most common and helpful therapies:
- Padding – Putting a pad between the bulge and footwear can help reduce damage-causing friction and alleviate some of the discomfort.
- Shoe changes – Make sure your teen wears supportive shoes with a wide, rounded toe-box. That way the foot is supported and the shoes won’t squeeze the toes and encourage the deformity. This will also help relieve friction against the bump.
- Icing – Cold reduces inflammation and swelling. Apply cold packs to the bump regularly to minimize the symptoms.
- Splints – Night splints help hold the toe in the correct alignment, which can slow down a bump’s progression.
If conservative therapies don’t improve an adolescent bunion, or if the problem has already progressed too far, your teen may need surgery to correct the deformity altogether.
Are You Looking for Pediatric Foot Care in Austin, TX?
If you are looking for pediatric foot care, you should reach out to an experienced podiatrist. Austin Foot and Ankle Specialists can help. Our office provides a wide variety of advanced, effective treatment options for all kinds of painful conditions. Ready to schedule an appointment? Contact us online or call our Austin office at 512.328.8900.
