Podiatry for children

Children's podiatry looks after the developing feet and legs of babies, kids and teens — from first steps to busy sporting years. At Blueprint Podiatry in Tuggerah, our podiatry team takes a gentle, family-friendly approach so both children and parents feel comfortable and well cared for.

Why does my child need their feet checked?

Your child depends on healthy, comfortable feet to stay active, keep up with friends and enjoy day-to-day play and sport. Because children's feet are still growing, small issues can change quickly — and what looks like clumsiness, sore legs or a reluctance to join in can sometimes have a foot or lower-limb cause.

Having your child's feet checked means small concerns can be picked up early, before they become bigger problems. There's no need to wait for ongoing pain or worry to arrange an assessment.

What childhood foot concerns do you help with?

Our podiatrists regularly help families with concerns such as:

• Heel pain in active kids — common during growth spurts and busy sporting seasons, and often eased with the right activity guidance and load management.
• In-toeing and out-toeing — when feet point inwards or outwards more than expected.
• Flat feet and arch concerns — assessing whether the foot posture is developing typically or contributing to symptoms.
• Toe-walking and unusual walking patterns.
• Growing pains, sore legs and tiredness with activity.
• Sports-related niggles in older children and teens.
• Skin and nail concerns, including warts, ingrown toenails and irritated nails.

Not every childhood foot difference needs treatment — many resolve naturally with growth. A key part of our role is helping you understand what's typical, what's worth monitoring, and what may benefit from care.

What can we expect at the appointment?

We take time to talk with you and your child, observe how they move, and assess their feet and legs. Where it's clinically helpful, we may use:

• Force-platform gait analysis on our Zebris instrumented treadmill, measuring pressure and load while your child walks or runs — giving us objective information rather than visual observation alone.
• Strength and range-of-motion testing with our VALD dynamometer, helping set a baseline and guide any rehabilitation or return to sport.

Because every one of our podiatrists is also a certified running coach, we pay close attention to how active kids walk and run. If your child needs support, care may include footwear advice, activity and load guidance, strengthening exercises, foot mobilisation therapy, or custom orthotics. Our orthotics are 3D scanned and 3D printed in-house, so there's no external-lab delay, and devices are matched to each foot.

If a concern falls outside podiatry, we'll explain this and help arrange a referral to your GP or an appropriate specialist.

Funding and getting started

We offer HICAPS on-the-spot private health claiming, accept Medicare EPC referrals (a small gap applies — not bulk billed), and support NDIS (self- and plan-managed) and DVA Gold and White card holders. We're open Monday to Friday, from 7am, which makes before- and after-school appointments easier to fit around family life.

Ready to help your child stay active and comfortable? Book online or call us on (02) 4319 4004. You're also welcome to meet the team first.

Frequently asked questions

At what age can I bring my child to see a podiatrist? There's no minimum age. We see babies, toddlers, school-aged kids and teens. If you've noticed something about your child's feet, legs or walking — or simply want reassurance — you're welcome to book a check at any age.

My child says their heels hurt after sport. Should I be worried? Heel pain is common in active, growing children and is often manageable with the right activity adjustments, footwear advice and exercises. It's worth having it assessed so we can identify the cause and help your child keep moving comfortably. We'll let you know if anything needs further investigation.

Does my child definitely need orthotics? Not necessarily. Many childhood foot differences settle with growth and don't require devices. We only recommend custom orthotics when they're clinically appropriate, and we'll always explain our reasoning. When they are used, ours are 3D scanned and printed in-house and matched to each foot.

Medically reviewed by Matt Shanahan, registered podiatrist (AHPRA POD0001603396), Blueprint Podiatry. Last reviewed: 21 June 2026.