Kids’ foot & ankle care · Portland
Worried about your child’s walk, feet, or growing pains? Get answers — and a plan — this week.
Few things nag at a parent like watching your child walk and wondering, “is that normal?” Here’s the reassuring truth: most childhood foot findings are normal — and an exam is how you know for sure. Dr. Zac Egidi, a board-certified foot & ankle specialist at Pearl Foot & Ankle, sees kids and teens in Portland with appointments often available same-week — gentle visits, plain-language answers, and a clear plan either way.
★★★★★ 4.9 from 450+ reviews across our Pearl locations Board-Certified (ABFAS) OATH Surgery Center partner
What we see most
Common kids’ foot & ankle concerns
From first steps to varsity sports, these are the concerns Portland parents bring us most often:
Intoeing & out-toeing
Feet that point in (“pigeon-toed”) or out when walking. Very common in young children — and most outgrow it. An exam identifies where the rotation comes from and whether watching or treating is right.
Flat feet
Most toddlers have flexible flat feet, and arches typically develop through childhood. Flexible and painless usually means no treatment needed; rigid, painful, or one-sided flat feet deserve a look.
Heel pain in active kids
Heel pain during or after sports in kids roughly 8–14 is often Sever’s disease — irritation of the heel’s growth plate. Common, manageable, and worth confirming with an exam.
Ingrown toenails in teens
Sports, cleats, and nail trimming habits make teens ingrown-toenail magnets. A quick in-office procedure under local anesthetic usually solves what months of home digging can’t.
Plantar warts
Stubborn, sometimes tender spots on the sole picked up from pools and locker rooms. We offer in-office treatment options when home care hasn’t worked.
Sports injuries
Ankle sprains, overuse pain, and growth-plate injuries in young athletes — evaluated with growing bones in mind, with a stepwise return-to-play plan.
The question every parent asks
Should I bring my child in — or watch and wait?
Here’s the honest answer most websites won’t give you: many childhood foot findings are normal variants that kids simply outgrow. Flexible flat feet, mild intoeing, a slightly awkward toddler gait — these are often chapters of normal development, not problems. A good pediatric foot exam exists to tell the difference, and “this is normal, here’s what to watch for” is a result we’re genuinely happy to deliver.
That said, some signs are worth an exam rather than more waiting:
- Pain — kids’ feet shouldn’t hurt regularly, at any age
- Limping, frequent tripping, or a walk that’s getting more asymmetric, not less
- One foot that looks or behaves clearly differently from the other
- A child who avoids running, sports, or walks they used to enjoy
- Redness, swelling, or a toenail that’s angry at the edge
- A concern that’s simply not improving as your child grows
If none of those apply, watching is often reasonable — and if one does, an exam replaces months of wondering with an answer. Either way, you leave knowing, instead of googling at midnight.
What to expect
What a kids’ visit looks like
Gentle, unhurried, and designed so your child leaves comfortable — and you leave with answers.
Talk first
Dr. Egidi starts with a conversation — your concerns, your child’s activities, and how things have changed over time. Parents stay in the room the whole visit.
Watch & examine
Watching your child walk tells half the story. A gentle hands-on exam — nothing scary — and in-office X-rays only when they’re truly needed.
Explain in plain language
What’s normal development, what isn’t, and why — explained so both you and your child understand what’s going on.
Leave with a plan
Sometimes that’s treatment; often it’s reassurance plus specific things to watch for. You’ll know exactly what the next step is — even when the next step is nothing.
Keeping kids moving
School, sports, and getting back in the game
For school-age kids and teen athletes, foot and ankle care is really about one thing: staying active safely. That includes evaluating the foot and ankle component of sports participation, completing clearance paperwork after an injury has been treated, and building stepwise return-to-play plans that respect growing bones and growth plates — so a sprained ankle in September doesn’t quietly become a wobbly ankle all season.
Two unglamorous things prevent a surprising share of kids’ foot problems: shoes that actually fit (kids’ feet can grow a half-size in months, and outgrown cleats are behind plenty of black toenails and ingrown nails) and not pushing through pain. “Growing pains” is a real phenomenon, but it has become a catch-all that sometimes hides treatable problems — a child who limps during sport deserves more than a shrug.
Young athletes dealing with a sprain, overuse pain, or a sports injury can read more on our sports podiatry page — the same team and the same same-week access, tuned for competitors of every age.
Your surgical team
An experienced surgical team — with openings this week
Dr. Zac Egidi is a board-certified (ABFAS) foot & ankle surgeon with 8+ years in practice and hundreds of surgeries across the full scope of medical, surgical, and sports foot & ankle care. He was recruited to Portland to expand new-patient access, with open, same-week availability for Beaverton, Cedar Mill, Bethany, and the greater Portland area. For parents, that access matters twice over: a worry gets answered this week instead of next month, and a child in pain isn’t waiting out a booked-solid schedule. Pearl Foot & Ankle is an independent, board-certified practice with a 4.9★ reputation from patients who describe visits as thorough, unrushed, and clearly explained.
Zac Egidi, DPM
Board-Certified (ABFAS) Foot & Ankle Surgeon
- 8+ years in practice — hundreds of foot & ankle surgeries
- Full-scope medical, surgical & sports foot & ankle care
- Same-week new-patient availability
- Kent State College of Podiatric Medicine; surgical residency (chief resident), LECOM Health
Timothy Mineo, DPM, FACFAS
Founder · Dual Board-Certified (ABFAS)
- 1,500+ surgeries, including total ankle replacement
- Dual board-certified in foot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot & ankle surgery
- Founded Pearl Foot & Ankle and leads its surgical team
- Fellow, American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons
One practice, one team: every treatment plan — from a first office visit through surgery at our partner facility, OATH Surgery Center — is backed by both surgeons’ combined experience.
Questions, answered
Frequently asked questions
Is my child’s flat foot normal?
Very often, yes. Most toddlers have flexible flat feet, and arches typically develop gradually through childhood — a flexible, painless flat foot usually needs no treatment at all. The findings worth an exam are different: a flat foot that’s rigid, painful, clearly one-sided, or causing tripping or fatigue. An exam tells you which category your child is in, and “it’s normal” is an answer we’re glad to give.
When should my child see a podiatrist for intoeing?
Intoeing is one of the most common parental concerns, and most children outgrow it as they grow. It’s worth an evaluation when the intoeing is getting more pronounced rather than less, is clearly asymmetric, causes frequent tripping or falls, or persists as your child gets older. An exam identifies where the rotation comes from — the foot, the shin, or the hip — and whether monitoring or treatment makes sense.
Why do my child’s heels hurt during sports?
In active kids roughly 8–14, the most common cause is Sever’s disease — irritation of the growth plate in the heel, which flares during and after running and jumping sports. It’s common and very manageable, typically with activity adjustments, heel support, and stretching rather than anything drastic. Because other causes exist, heel pain that keeps coming back deserves an exam to confirm what’s going on.
Do kids need orthotics?
Usually not. Many childhood foot shapes are normal variants that need no correction, and putting every flat-footed kid in orthotics isn’t good medicine. Orthotics earn their place when there are actual symptoms — pain, fatigue, or activity limits tied to foot mechanics. Dr. Egidi bases that recommendation on an exam, not a default, and will tell you honestly if your child doesn’t need them.
Can you treat my teen’s ingrown toenail?
Yes — ingrown toenails are one of the most common reasons teens see us, thanks to sports, snug shoes, and nail-trimming habits. A quick in-office procedure under local anesthetic takes care of what months of home digging can’t, and recurring nails can be treated so they stop coming back. See our ingrown toenail page for details, or call (503) 284-2000.
What happens at a child’s first podiatry visit?
Expect a gentle, unhurried visit: a conversation about your concerns, watching your child walk, a careful hands-on exam, and in-office X-rays only if they’re genuinely needed. Parents stay in the room the entire time, and everything is explained in plain language to both of you. Many first visits end in reassurance and a watch-plan rather than treatment — and that’s a good outcome.
Do you take my insurance?
Yes — Pearl Foot & Ankle is in-network with 200+ insurance plans, including Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Providence, Moda Health, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Aetna, PacificSource, and Medicare & Medicare Advantage — and every Pearl provider, including Dr. Egidi, is credentialed with these plans. Verify your plan instantly on Zocdoc, or call (503) 284-2000 and we’ll confirm your benefits before your visit.
How soon can my child be seen?
Dr. Egidi often has same-week openings at our Portland office at 12672 NW Barnes Rd #100 — convenient to Beaverton, Cedar Mill, and Bethany. A parent’s worry shouldn’t have to wait a month for an answer. Call (503) 284-2000 or book online and we’ll get your child scheduled.
Same-week booking
Stop wondering if it’s normal. Get an answer this week.
Book your child’s visit online in real time through Zocdoc — pick the appointment slot that works for your family, no phone tag. Prefer to talk to someone? Call us and we’re happy to help.
- Kids, teens & new patients welcome
- Most insurance accepted
- Same-week appointments often available
- Beaverton · Cedar Mill · Bethany · Portland
Book a Same-Week Visit
See real-time openings and reserve your child’s visit securely through Zocdoc, the practice’s online scheduler.
📅 Book Online with ZocdocPrefer to talk to someone?
📞 Call (503) 284-2000
Pearl Foot & Ankle · 12672 NW Barnes Rd #100, Portland, OR 97229 · (503) 284-2000
Mon–Fri 8–5 · Not an emergency service — for a medical emergency, call 911.
The information on this page is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice; it does not establish a doctor–patient relationship. Appointment availability varies and is not guaranteed. Individual results vary. For a medical emergency, call 911.