Soccer fields are filled with the future soccer stars of the sport this spring. And just like college or professional players, juveniles suffer their fair amount of injuries This is a bad time of year to be a juvenile toenail. Dr. Foley sees a lot of children with ingrown toenails during soccer season.

"It seems like every child is enrolled in a league and some, more than one," says Dr. Foley "The young kids wear hand-me-down cleats that don't fit exactly right. The older kids like tighter cleats to get a better feel for the ball and the field." A former collegiate player at UCLA, Dr. Foley had her share of injuries growing up.

"Ingrown toenails are such a small problem with such big pain. If you hit the corner of that affected toe, it shoots an intense pain that lingers." Unfortunately, many children don't tell parents about the problem because they're afraid to miss a game. "By the time they come to my office, a small problem has turned serious," she says. Young soccer players sidelined by an ingrown toenail may be able to get back into the game pain-free thanks to a simple, 10-minute surgical procedure.

During the short procedure, Dr. Foley numbs the toe and removes the offending portion of the nail. Various techniques can permanently remove part of a nail's root too, preventing it from growing back. Most children experience very little pain afterwards, and can resume normal activity the next day.

Parents should teach their children how to trim their toenails properly. Trim toenails in a fairly straight line, and don't cut them too short. "Keeping toenails trimmed correctly sounds like something so simple. You'd be amazed how many people, children as well as adults do it incorrectly," Dr. Foley says.

Parents have to make sure their children's cleats fit, since a child's shoe size can change within a single soccer season. If a child develops a painful ingrown toenail, soaking their foot in room-temperature water and gently massaging the side of the nail fold can reduce the inflammation.

If you have a question regarding a foot, toe or ankle injury, please e-mail me at drfoley@doctorvikki.com. I can always direct you to general information, but to be specific, I do require you to make an appointment and come in for a full examination. A 20-minute examination will often identify a minor problem before it evolves into a more serious situation.

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