My 9yr old daughter has pain in the balls of her feet advice

[raphaelbutler]

hi

i wonder if anyone else has experienced this. for 3 months my daughter has had pain in the balls of her feet and i am so worried.

she has just started wearing orthotics made for her (only 1 hr a day) and she is having pphysio - to build up her thigh muscles but i feel they dont really know whats wrong - they said she has had a growing spurt but the pain is making all her sunshine disappear any tips on how i can help her

thank you

s x

i am so angry now physio says she making it up so so so angry please is there any one out there who has experienced this x

The physio said shes making it up?? What leads him to believe this?

What does your GP say?

my dd had this when she was in yr 8

it was somewher in the region of the ball of one foot

turned out to be some disorder-god I can't remember what it was called

anywya the treatment was wearing a cast to imobilise for about 6 weeks

it worked and she hasn't had it again

will google and try and remember the name

thank u physio says is she making it up because she doesnt limp but she doesnt see her stuggling with the pain, its not all the time and she describes it as and 8 so the physio said well childbirth is a 10 she doesnt look like someone who is in pain at an 8. She made her run on at treadmill and when she said it hurt she said she was making it up i am so angry

It was freibergs disease affects the second toe so she had a lot of pain at the base of thesecond toe on the ball of the foot.

My physio always said the pain scale was to give them an idea of whats relevant to the individual. So to your dd her pain is an 8, then if one day she says its a 10 that lets you know its worse - its what SHE feels it is. You cannot measure pain using a universal scale, its not like a measuring tape. Some people may say childbirth for them was a 10...then a year later they experience excurtiating kidney pain and decide that actually relative to that childbirth was a 9.

The physios logic sounds very bizzare indeed. If she had a very very good reason why she believed a child to be makking up her symptoms eg the child seemed very low, was being bullied and was trying to get out of school or something then I could see why she might explore this option - but even if that was the case surely the path would be to reffer her for some talking therapy. I find her reasons rediculas and I would ask to change to a different physio/get a 2nd opinion. The whole situation sounds very frustrating.

thank u all for your comments my husband is going 2 her next appointment and she is waiting for an mri which will be in about a month. I found the womans attitude bizarre my daughter is of a really sunny disposition and enjoys school and before this we would b out every weekend at the seaside park - i find her assumption after only two appointments unprofessional and i know my daughter is not using this to gain benefit as form where shes standing there arent any. she has started to wear orthotics which i hope will help her. the physio said for her not to wear slippers crocs in house go barefeet all the time but the consultant said keep her feet padded at all times. i do feel like making a complaint she may have a different attitude when my husband goes

I know it's not quite the same but I had this when I was pregnant and it was agony- it felt like I was constantly walking barefoot on the knobbly pavement they have at pedestrian crossings. It took me over a year and numerous appointments for the specialists at the hospital to 'diagnose' fallen arches but I'm not convinced- the pain was incredible and the only thing that helped was wearing very padded shoes and having a foot massage every night. That might help your dd if she can get some relief. Also have you tried a reflexologist? Maybe they can do something to ease her pain whilst you are waiting for the proper diagnosis?

thank u she says its like walking on stones she is having an mri on saturday and the results next wednesday. She has worn her othotics for a whole day to day so I am hoping that she will now start to get the benefit - thank u all 4 caring i have had health problems over the years but it doesnt compare to the feeling you get when you know your child is hurting and you cant fix it x

mri shows some inflammation but they hv called in minor. she has been wearing her orthotics for 2 weeks but no reduction in pain - i am getting so worried. went to new physio who saw niamhs prob rolling in and gave her excercises anyone had this experience i am at my wits end x

hi i am not dealing with this very well niamh is doing her exercises wearing her othotics and shes not feeling any better i just want to cry

hi she is not getting any better please any advice i am so desperately worried

any advice x

just bumping this incase anyone can helpx

hi my daughter says the balls of her feet feel bruised all the time but they dont seem to be affected by the amount of time she is on her feet they feel bruised all the time please anybody have any ideas x

Just come across this - I'm a paeds physio and reading your post about the physio your daughter has received started to make my blood boil.... poor communication skills to say the least!

Really difficult to give you any specific idea what it is , and wouldn't be right to speculate - have you seen a Paediatric Orthopaedic Consultant or a specialist paeds physio? Has anyone actually given you an idea what the problem is yet? Soemtimes it doesn't help if you are getting confusing messages from physio/ Dr and no clear understanding of what they feel is going on - even if it doesn'e have a specific diagnosis. A lot of pains are often to do with the mechanics of growing, and can be frustratingly persistent initially - but if you are given a good reasoned explanation and why it is important to persevere with the exercises etc at least you can feel reassured that she is getting the right treatment.

With the children and parents I see, I spend a long time explaining, reassuring, and encouraging communication and I would want to know if things weren't feeling better or if you had any worries/ or were posting on Mumsnet!! May be worth at the next physio appt, saying you remain very concerned what is wrong - a good physio should respond to this.

thank u so much for your reply. x. we are going to see an orthapedic paediatric consultant dr hulme at chelsea and westminster next thursday. she had an mri which showed edema on her 2nd metatarsal bone marrow and on her sesomoid but the initial consultant said everybody can have this. She has been having nurofen for the last two weeks to see if it helps. I just dont know what to do for the best should I let her play do sports or stop her. I dont want to make things worse - thank you so much for taking the time x

thats great that you have an appointment - I know of Miss Hulme, she's excellent - have no doubt that you will get a thorough consultation and hopefully either find out what is wrong - or at least the right way forward in terms of treatment/ management - explain that you have had some conflicting /confusing messages and need some reassurance. Good luck - I will look out to see how you get on at the appointment.

My 12 year old daughter has had this problem on a nd off for several years now, its much worse after sport to the point she will limp for a few days but i've always put it down to growing and find if she wears really good supportive shoes for sport and school she is much better, but she tends to live in crocs or go barefoot the rest of the time and by the end of the day her feet ache. She has large feet 7.5 H and they are still growing but I still put the aches and pains down to growing and would be interested if I should have her checked out, but then what can they do until she stops growing. I would definately let your daughter carry on with sports but get her trainers fitted at a proper running shop where they can watch her on the treadmill and see what type of trainers she should whare to support her feet properly, this was the best thing we did, unfortunately I had to pay a fortune for the trainers but its worth it.

dear pushki and danthe4th thank u both for your help - I feel relieved about goin to see Dr Hulme thank you for saying she has a good reputation - should i take the old xray and mri of 1 foot the consultant i saw before said it might be better to start with a clean slate but I dont want to give the wrong impression and leave them at home. We will think about the trainers it sounds a good idea. My dd went out with friends to the park the pain was quite constant but when she came home she had shooting pain in her big toe - now I think should we have gone to park but i just wanted her to feel normal and have fun with friends - because i dont know exactly what is wrong its hard to knwo what to do for the best - just hoping get some help reassurance next week xxxx

Yes, I would take the previous XR and MRI - will be helpful for her and may prevent the need for any further XR etc. My best advice is to be completely honest about why you have felt frustrated/ confused etc about your management so far - and that you really want some reassurance etc. As I say I know of Miss Hulme - and from what I know she is a good listener and good communicator also, so make sure you feel you say what you want to say, which will allow her to know the whole story and then be in a position to diagnose what might be going on.

Good luck!!

thank u pushki made me feel so much better. still nervous about next week though x

hi dd came home and said heel hurts 2day hopefully that just a passing thing I am just so sad. dont know how 2 pick myself up. she said it was a bit better yesterday and now another part hurts. i feel ive let her down cos i went private for an orthotic and they havent been any good and the manufacturer has had them since aug 5th now he wants to put a dome under the balls of her feet where the pain is and i just feel it is wrong i have to contact them tomorrow. hospital thurs x

hi i didnt do very well at hospital. I didnt ask all my questions i feel i have let dd down. Miss hulme thought niamh might have sesamoditis. She suggested orthotic with cut out. but i didnt ask about physio or if it is a bone bruise and before when i went to hosp niamh said it hurt all over when dr touched her foot and this time i told her to know the difference between a push and pain and maybe i confused her because she said it didnt hurt only in the one area but on her mri of 1 foot it did show imflammation of her sesamoid. i just feel it was her only chance Miss hulme said it is difficult to get rid of she must not to any activity and get the orthotic changed and hope it settles she is on nurofen for the last month and should continue. i feel awful and tearful i suppose i wanted her to say do another mri on the other foot and i didnt even ask x

Don't know if this will be any help but DD who is 9 got diagnosed with Sever's disease or Calcaneal apophysitis it's to do with the growth plates in her feet. She was in agony and the only cure is pain killers and rest.
Its really improved but dd does struggle if she has had a very active day.

Hope you get to the bottom of the problem soon.