Foot and Leg Pain Centre
Leading Children's Podiatrists Cherrybrook
Supporting tiny feet on their journey
Paediatric Podiatrist
Is your child frequently complaining about sore feet or legs?
Dr Angus Chard PhD, a Certified Sports Podiatrist and the owner of the Foot and Leg Pain Centre near Cherrybrook, brings a wealth of expertise to children’s podiatry. With his Doctorate specialising in Lower-Limb and Foot Musculoskeletal Medicine, focusing on Paediatric and Sports Injuries, Dr Chard is highly skilled in managing children’s foot and leg conditions. He personally supervises the treatments offered by the clinic’s podiatrists, all of whom share a keen interest in paediatric podiatry. Dr Chard’s unique combination of expertise and dedication ensures outstanding care for children.
Paediatric Podiatrist Cherrybrook
A medical setting can feel daunting for children, which is why we aim to create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that each child feels at ease and receives exceptional care during their visit.
Michael Chard, a Licensed Service Dog, is known for his ability to provide emotional support through his calming presence and cuddles. His gentle nature helps children feel at ease and offers comfort to anyone in need.
How We Support You
Flat Feet
Flat feet in children, commonly observed after 18 months, are usually harmless and tend to self-correct over time. However, in some cases, they don’t resolve and can lead to lifelong complications. Just like regular eye and dental check-ups, early assessment is key to identifying treatable conditions. With proper monitoring, children can be guided to outgrow these issues effectively.
Intoe Walking
Intoe walking, also known as pigeon toes, is a common condition in young children and often corrects itself by the age of 4. If it persists beyond this age, it may result in instability, discomfort, or changes in movement patterns. Early intervention can help ensure proper development and avoid potential problems.
Toe Walking
While toe walking is typical in toddlers, ongoing cases beyond 4 years old may point to issues like muscle tension or neurological concerns. If left unaddressed, it can lead to knee, back, or joint problems. Early intervention is key to promoting healthy growth and preventing long-term challenges.
Late or Non Walkers
Delayed walking in children beyond 18 months could be linked to foot or leg concerns. Monitoring their development begins with an initial podiatric assessment and ongoing measurements to ensure healthy progression.
Banana Foot
Banana foot (metatarsus adductus) causes a curved appearance in the feet, often due to foetal positioning and intrauterine pressure. While it may self-correct by age 4, interventions become less effective after age 2, making early detection crucial. If left untreated, it can develop into a structural issue, leading to various aches and discomfort.
Growing Pains
Although leg aches are common during growth spurts, prolonged pain exceeding two months is considered abnormal. When addressed as muscle overuse syndromes, these pains can often be resolved. The belief that growing pains are a normal part of development is outdated and unsupported by current research.
Severs
Sever’s disease, common in children aged 7–12, causes heel pain during growth spurts. While it often affects active children, inactive children can also experience this condition. Fortunately, treatment for both groups is typically straightforward by addressing the underlying structural causes.
Vertical Talus
Flat feet, occasionally due to a vertically aligned talus (talipes calcaneovalgus), can affect children’s development. Although it often improves on its own, some cases persist into adolescence or adulthood, leading to reduced foot strength and potential complications. Identifying this condition early can help children meet milestones like climbing stairs and running.
Foot And Leg Pain Centre
Sydney's Premier Children's Foot Specialist
A toddler’s growing legs and feet experience many changes. Routine monitoring and measurements are key to identifying concerns early and providing appropriate care. Early detection is essential for healthy legs in adulthood — take steps to safeguard your child’s future well-being.
1-2 years
We carefully observe your baby’s journey to becoming a toddler, assessing their foot structure and development. By closely monitoring milestones such as crawling and standing, we can address any issues early.
2-3 years
During this time, we assess your toddler’s early walking, posture, and balance, identifying issues such as excessively flat feet. With expert advice, we help foster healthy movement as your child explores and grows.
4-6 years
During these active years, we evaluate your child’s feet for concerns like flat feet or gait issues, including in-toeing and toe walking. Our focus is on promoting healthy development so they can walk, run, and play with ease.
Paediatric Assessment
Give those little feet the care they need – schedule your child’s podiatry visit today.
Foot And Leg Pain Centre
Encouraging healthy growth for your child
Leg aches, foot posture challenges, and structural concerns can occur as children grow. Early detection ensures healthy skeletal development and helps them stay on par with their peers.
Supporting healthy growth through early care is our priority at the Foot and Leg Pain Centre.
Your First Visit
During your child’s first visit, we’ll perform a comprehensive, enjoyable assessment to evaluate their foot health in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere for you both.
Treatment
Our treatments are personalised for your child, emphasising targeted approaches to promote proper foot development and ease any pain they may be experiencing.
Working Towards Your Outcomes
We aim to support your child in achieving optimal outcomes, helping them walk, run, and play with healthier feet and greater confidence while staying active and joyful.
Why Choose Us
Your Trusted Team for Support
Renowned worldwide, Dr Angus Chard, PhD, is a second-generation Certified Sports Podiatrist with a wealth of clinical experience, guiding a team of expert professionals.
Dedicated to Helping
Our team at Foot and Leg Pain Centre is passionate about helping individuals, from children to adults, achieve their goals while reducing pain and discomfort.
Evidence-Based Care
Along with our cheerful approach and knack for helping children feel comfortable, we deliver treatments that combine scientific evidence with clinical expertise. We offer clear information and treatment choices, ensuring a supportive and stress-free experience.
Helping Little Feet And Legs
Our team at Foot and Leg Pain Centre offers a comprehensive range of treatments, customised to address your child’s pain depending on its location, nature, and cause.
For some children, 3D printed custom orthotics are ideal, while others may require ongoing monitoring, footwear advice, exercises for foot strength, posture assessments and biomechanical checks, manual rehabilitation, or adjustments to their walking and running styles.
Meet Our Founder
Dr. Angus Chard PhD
Our Founder and Director, Dr Angus Chard PhD, a Certified Sports Podiatrist with over 32 years of clinical experience, is passionate about helping young patients balance evidence-based care with effective treatments.
Happy kids start with healthy feet – arrange an appointment with Dr Angus Chard PhD or one of our experienced podiatrists near Cherrybrook today.
Meet The Team
Michelle Cuthbert
Michelle Cuthbert, a podiatrist with more than 20 years of experience, has a passion for children's foot health. As an avid runner, she understands the value of early intervention and is committed to helping children thrive through personalised care. As a mother of two, her dedication to young patients shines.
Thomas Shannon
As a podiatrist and professional athlete, Thomas Shannon specialises in paediatric lower limb care. His expertise in musculoskeletal strength and conditioning, combined with his elite athletic background, allows him to deliver comprehensive treatment. Thomas has represented Australia in both hammer throw and Olympic weightlifting.
Foot And Leg Pain Centre
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Paediatric Assessment
Tiny feet deserve big care – schedule your little one’s podiatry appointment today.
Foot And Leg Pain Centre
Frequently Asked Questions
Sometimes, but having your child assessed early helps monitor their development and ensures they do. Ignoring potential issues can lead to unnecessary pain, and not all children simply grow out of these conditions. Podiatry can identify and address problems early, giving your child the best chance for pain-free growth.
It’s common for children to experience occasional activity-related aches similar to adults, but persistent tired, achy legs and feet are not normal. Persistent growing pains can be effectively managed by identifying and addressing the root cause of muscle overuse.
Flat-footed children often experience quicker fatigue during activities and more pathological movements in their knees and ankles. Arch maturity occurs by age eight, but 39% of adolescents with flat feet may suffer knee pain, and 35% could develop hip or lower back pain. Since adult-like walking develops by age four, addressing abnormal foot positions early is crucial to prevent issues like toe-walking or pigeon-toeing in later life.
Starting assessments early is always best. During the initial visit, your child’s feet and legs will be carefully measured and evaluated with a biomechanical assessment and gait analysis. Accurate measurements allow us to monitor their growth over time. Foot and leg issues can occur at any age, so early attention from a knowledgeable professional is vital.
You don’t need a referral to arrange a podiatry appointment. Book online or get in touch with us directly, and we’ll ensure everything is covered during your initial assessment.
Regular foot assessments are as important as eye and dental checks for your child. If they’re dealing with leg or foot pain, we can help. If you’re uncertain, an initial visit will help determine the issue and the best treatment. For urgent situations, always contact 000.
Properly fitted children’s shoes should always offer comfort, with adequate length, width, and room for toes. Evidence highlights that barefoot walking fosters healthier and stronger feet. The natural contact with the ground activates muscles essential for development, but even the most minimalist shoes can interrupt this process.
Selecting the right shoes for your child depends on the intended purpose. Barefoot-like, flexible footwear may suit some situations, while more supportive styles with different levels of support may be required in others. Look for shoes with flat, flexible soles that bend near the toes and a front wider than the heel. Secure fasteners such as laces or straps help keep feet comfortable and prevent slipping.
With Dr Angus Chard PhD at the helm, the Foot and Leg Pain Centre team combines expertise, qualifications, and partnerships with shoe retailers and manufacturers to assist you in navigating footwear options. For advice tailored to your child’s foot care, consult with our podiatrists today.
Certainly, we do. That said, we also prioritise blending evidence with real-world experience, as evidence alone doesn’t always tell the full story. Below, you’ll find references supporting the information presented here.
- Alfaro-Santafé, J., et al. (2021). “Effectiveness of Custom-Made Foot Orthoses vs. Heel-Lifts in Children with Calcaneal Apophysitis (Sever’s Disease): A CONSORT-Compliant Randomized Trial.” Children 8(11): 963.
- Bleck, E. E. (1983). “Metatarsus adductus: Classification and relationship to outcomes of treatment.” Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics 3(1): 2-9.
- Chard, A., et al. (2011). Effect Thong Style Flip-Flop Footwear On Children’s Hallux Sagittal Plane Motion During Gait. International Society of Biomechanics, Brussels, Belgium, publisher.
- Chard, A., et al. (2012). “Effect of thong style flip-flops on children’s midfoot motion during gait.” Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 5(Suppl 1): O19.
- Smith, R., et al. (2012). “Biomechanics of footwear design.” Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 5(Suppl 1): I1.
- Chard, A., et al. (2013). “Effect of thong style flip-flops on children’s barefoot walking and jogging kinematics.” Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 6(1): 8.
- Chard, A., et al. (2015). Effect of thong style flip flops on children’s sidestep kinematics International Society of Biomechanics in Sport, Poitiers, France, Sports Biomechanics.
- Chard, B.A., The effect of unsupportive and supportive footwear on children’s multi-segment foot dynamics during gait. 2017. USYD Thesis – DOWNLAOD HERE http://hdl.handle.net/2123/18659
- Gijon-Nogueron, G., et al. (2016). “Establishing normative foot posture index values for the paediatric population: A cross-sectional study.” Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 9(1): 1.
- Kothari, A., et al., Are flexible flat feet associated with proximal joint problems in children? Gait and Posture, 2016. 45: p. 204-210.
- Lin, C.-J., et al., Correlating factors and clinical significance of flexible flatfoot in preschool children. Journal of pediatric orthopaedics, 2001. 21(3): p. 378-382.
- Mauch, M., et al. (2008). “Foot morphology of normal, underweight and overweight children.” International Journal of Obesity 32(7): 1068-1075.
- McKay, M. J., et al. (2015). “1000 Norms Project: protocol of a cross-sectional study cataloging human variation.” Physiotherapy.
- Mickle, K. J., et al. (2006). “The feet of overweight and obese young children: Are they flat or fat?” Obesity 14(11): 1949-1953.
- Mudge, A. J., et al. (2014). “Normative reference values for lower limb joint range, bone torsion, and alignment in children aged 4-16 years.” Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics Part B 23(1): 15-25.
- Redmond A, Crane Y, Menz H. Normative values for the Foot Posture Index. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research. 2008;1(1):6.
- Sanders, R., Orr, R., Chiu, C., Chard, A., Tompsett, C., Fleeton, J., Davies, T., Fong Yan, A. (2018). Development of talent of adolescents in Australian sports high schools. In Pedro Morouço, Portugal: ESECS/Instituto Politcnico de Leiria.
- Staheli, L., et al. (1985). “Lower-extremity rotational problems in children. Normal values to guide management.” J Bone Joint Surg Am 67(1): 39-47.
- Sutherland, D. H. (2001). “The evolution of clinical gait analysis part l: kinesiological EMG.” Gait & Posture 14(1): 61-70.
- Sutherland, D. H. (2002). “The evolution of clinical gait analysis: Part II Kinematics.” Gait & Posture 16(2): 159-179.
- Sutherland, D. H. (2005). “The evolution of clinical gait analysis part III – kinetics and energy assessment.” Gait & Posture 21(4): 447-461.
- Wegener C, et al. (2011). “Effect of children’s shoes on gait: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 4(3).
- Wegener, C., et al. (2013). “Effect of sports shoes on children’s vertical jump performance and midfoot and ankle kinetics.” Footwear Science 5(SUPPL. 1): S58-S59.
- Wegener, C., et al. (2013). “Effect of sports shoes on midfoot power generation in children while walking and running.” Footwear Science 5(sup1): S55-S56.
- Wegener, C., et al. (2015). “In-shoe multi-segment foot kinematics of children during the propulsive phase of walking and running.” Human Movement Science 39: 200-211.
As an audited NDIS provider, we proudly accept all NDIS patients, whether they are NDIS-managed, agency-managed, or self-managed. We emphasise individualised care and understand that certain appointments may require additional time and attention. Whether it’s touch sensitivity, wheelchair assistance, or other unique needs, we are well-equipped to provide support.
We are trusted by thousands of happy patients and our results speak for themselves
