The road back to school and sport - How can my child avoid the pitfalls of pre-season training?

October 15, 2020

Thankfully we seem to be over the initial threat of COVID-19 and as things return to some semblance of normal and some restrictions are relaxed, we hopefully will see a return to team sport for our kids. 

And because the usual pre-season training didn’t get a chance to take place, our kids may be wanting to take off full throttle. At Junction Foot and Ankle Group we know all about overuse injuries which can occur in kids just as well as adults. These can be quite painful and distressing for your young athlete.

It's important parents and coaches transition kids into team sports with ease. Despite the many opportunities for online exercise which our kids may have been involved with over the last few weeks, most of them have come off the back of a lazy period, where they have been relaxing, eating you out of house and home and growing like weeds. Soon they may get the call to front up to training and everyone will be super keen to get back into shape.

To understand what is happening we need to unpack the relationship between training and children a bit more.

Training Load
Load is the term we use for the amount of activity performed. Risk of injury increases with quite small changes in load. A recent high-quality review paper (Windt, J & Gabbett, T, 2017) reinforced the traditional view that when weekly load changes by 10-15% there is a significant increase in injury risk.

Children
Children typically have two growth spurts. When this occurs their bones grow rapidly, the soft tissues around those bones adapt and lengthen over the next couple of months. While the soft tissues are catching up, they are under slightly more stress.
The perfect storm happens when kids start pre-season training after a summer of inactivity whilst undergoing a growth spurt. The two most common injuries in this situation are:

  • Sever’s disease – or heel pain in kids, and
  • Osgood Schlatter’s disease – or knee pain in kids

Both these conditions are the same problem occurring in different locations. Despite their scary name, they are definitely not diseases.

The Mystery of the Painful Spot on Jack's Foot

August 5, 2026
The Mystery of the Painful Spot on Jack's Foot Eight-year-old Jack loved nothing more than playing soccer at school. Every lunchtime he was the first one on the oval and the last one to leave. One afternoon he came home limping. "Mum," he said, "it feels like I've got a stone stuck in my shoe." His mum checked his shoe... nothing. She looked at his foot and found a small rough bump on the sole. It didn't look like much, but every step hurt. It wasn't a stone. Maybe it was a splinter? No, it was a plantar wart, also called a verruca. And, pretty soon it started to spread. So, what is a plantar wart? Plantar warts are caused by a common virus that infects the outer layer of the skin. They are especially common in school-aged children, although adults can get them too. The virus often enters through tiny breaks in the skin, especially in places like swimming pools, change rooms, public showers, and around sporting facilities. They're very common—and they're nothing to be embarrassed about. Unlike warts on the hands, plantar warts grow on the bottom of the foot, where your body weight presses down on them every time you walk. Instead of growing outwards, they are pushed inwards, making them feel like you're constantly standing on a pebble. For active children like Jack, that can make running, playing sport and even walking uncomfortable. Do all warts need treatment? The simple answer is no. Many plantar warts disappear on their own as the body's immune system eventually clears the virus. This can happen over months or even a couple of years. We usually recommend treatment if the wart is painful, growing larger, spreading to other areas, causing your child to avoid sport or normal activities, or becoming a nuisance that just won't go away. What treatments are available? The good news is that there are lots of treatment options, and we'll help choose the one that's right for you or your child. Depending on the wart, treatment may include carefully removing hard skin over the wart and applying special wart treatments (often prescription-strength medications). When surgery is the best option? Occasionally, a wart simply refuses to leave despite repeated treatment. In these stubborn cases, we can offer surgical removal. Surgery may also be a good option for children who are very anxious about repeated appointments and would prefer to have the wart dealt with in one procedure rather than returning multiple times for treatment. All of our podiatrists can treat warts, but if it’s surgery you’re after, book in with one of our surgical podiatrists who will discuss whether surgery is appropriate and explain exactly what is involved. If you or your child has a painful wart, we'd be happy to help get you comfortably back on your feet. Call us on 9250 1676 to make an appointment or book online .

Heel Pain: The Common Cold of the Foot

July 1, 2026
What's the Fuss About Rafael Nadal's Foot? Understanding Müller-Weiss Syndrome When tennis legend Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from the sport, many people were surprised to learn that one of the biggest challenges throughout his career wasn't an opponent—it was his left foot. Nadal has lived with a condition called Müller-Weiss Syndrome, a rare disorder affecting a small bone in the middle of the foot called the navicular bone. While most of us won't be playing Grand Slam tennis anytime soon, this condition is not limited to elite athletes and can affect everyday Australians too. What is Müller-Weiss Syndrome? Müller-Weiss Syndrome is a condition where the navicular bone gradually changes shape and can become damaged over time. This often leads to collapse of the arch, arthritis developing in nearby joints, and ongoing foot pain. Most people with the condition experience pain through the middle or inside of the foot, discomfort when walking or standing for long periods, a flattening of the arch, swelling around the middle part of the foot, and difficulty staying active due to foot pain. It’s a condition that is most commonly diagnosed in middle-aged adults and often develops gradually over many years. It's Not Just an Athlete's Problem Although Nadal's story has brought attention to Müller-Weiss Syndrome, you certainly don't need to be a professional athlete to experience it. In fact, many people first notice symptoms while doing everyday activities such as walking the dog, shopping, gardening, exercising, or spending long hours on their feet at work. And, because the symptoms can mimic arthritis, tendon problems, or general "wear and tear," the condition is sometimes overlooked without a proper assessment. Don’t ignore foot pain - it should never simply be accepted as part of getting older. The good news is that many people can successfully manage their symptoms without surgery. If you've been experiencing ongoing foot pain, changes in your arch shape, or discomfort that is limiting your activities, book an assessment with one of our podiatrists . Click here to book online , or phone us on 9250 1676. Your feet carry you through life—it's worth making sure they're looked after properly.