Winneshiek Medical Center surgeon cautions soccer youths not to 'play through' foot and ankle pain

As a new soccer season kicks off in the Decorah area, Mayo Clinic Health System podiatrist Thomas Marquardt urges parents and coaches to think twice about coaxing young, injury-prone soccer players to "play through" ankle and foot pain.

"Skeletally immature kids, starting and stopping and moving side to side on cleats that are little more than moccasins with spikes — that's a recipe for foot and ankle sprains and worse," the Winneshiek Medical Center surgeon says. Unbeknownst to players, parents and coaches, a youth's lingering heel pain could turn out to be a stress fracture. Treatment usually involves rest, sometimes casting, or even surgery if the fracture heals poorly.

Inflammation around a growth plate can lead to pain in youth players, Dr. Marquardt said. "Their growth plates are still open and bones are still growing and maturing — until they're about 13 to 16."

Other types of overuse injuries are Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, out-of-nowhere ankle sprains and toe injuries caused by collisions kicking a ball.