Foot Injuries in Young Rugby Players: What You Must Know

Posted 28 Aug

Rugby is one of the most physically demanding sports a young person can take up, and in our opinion, it’s also one of the most rewarding. The intensity, speed, contact, and agility involved in every match mean kids build on their resilience, fitness, and teamwork. But for growing feet and bodies, the high physical demands also increase the risk of injury.

When foot injuries occur, the impact goes far beyond the physical pain. It can mean time off the field with friends, disrupted training routines, and even avoiding other physical activities because of the pain or the fear of re-injury. For developing children and teens, this can feel devastating, affecting their confidence, mental health, and their physical health.

That’s why our podiatry team here in Brisbane focuses on four essential pillars of care:

• Effectively treating foot and ankle injuries
  
• Making care kid-friendly and confidence-building
  
• Understanding injury risk based on rugby positions and biomechanics
  
• Preventing future injuries with proactive, tailored measures
  

If your young rugby player is limping, struggling with pain during or after matches, or recovering slowly from a known injury, here’s a look into what could be happening and how you can help get them safely back in the game.

Common Foot Injuries in Rugby

Rugby injuries often fall into two categories: acute injuries, which occur suddenly from trauma or impact, and chronic injuries, which develop gradually from overuse or repeated stress. 

Research shows that up to 74% of rugby injuries are acute, often resulting from tackles, scrums, or high-speed collisions. The remaining 26% are typically overuse injuries that build up over weeks or months of play.

1. Fractures (Stress and Traumatic)

Bone fractures (breaks) can be divided into two categories: traumatic and acute. According to a 2020 study, adolescent athletes are more susceptible to stress injuries during peak growth periods due to transient imbalances between bone strength and muscular forces.

• Traumatic fractures are breaks in the bone caused by sudden impact — for example, being tackled or landing awkwardly after a jump.
  
• Stress fractures are microscopic cracks that develop gradually when the bone is repeatedly overloaded, often seen in the metatarsals of the midfoot.

2. Ankle Sprains

A staple of contact and pivot-heavy sports, ankle sprains occur when ligaments (usually on the outside of the ankle) are overstretched or torn. Without proper treatment, ankle sprains can lead to chronic ankle instability, increasing the risk of future sprains and long-term joint issues.

Tip: We always encourage bringing your child in for an assessment after a sprain, even if symptoms improve quickly. Delayed healing or ligament laxity may go unnoticed, until they become a recurring problem. It’s always important to give your ankle good, structured rehabilitation and strengthening following a sprain.

3. Turf Toe

A turf toe is caused by hyperextending the big toe, often when the toe is planted and the foot is forced forward. This is common in tackles or scrums. The pain is felt under the big toe joint and may be accompanied by swelling or limited push-off strength.

Note: despite the name indicating that this injury is more common on artificial turf, it can happen on any surface in any sport, especially when your child’s footwear lacks proper forefoot support or has worn down.

4. Achilles Tendon Pain

The Achilles tendon is the thick, rope-like structure that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. Because it works every time you walk, run, jump, or even stand on tiptoes, it’s one of the most common sites for overuse injuries and painful conditions. Pain here can feel sharp and sudden, or it can build gradually and become worse with activity. Three of the most common causes of Achilles pain we see in our clinics include:

• Achilles tendinopathy. This is when the tendon degenerates, and is often caused by repetitive stress and loading the tendon, such as from running, jumping, or sudden increases in activity. It may feel like stiffness in the morning, soreness after exercise, or thickening in the tendon itself.
  
  
• Retrocalcaneal bursitis. A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that sits between the heel bone and the Achilles tendon to reduce friction. When this sac becomes irritated or inflamed, it can cause a deep, aching pain at the back of the heel, sometimes with swelling or tenderness when pressing on the area. This is called bursitis.
  
  
• Sever’s disease. Better known as growing pains, this is relatively common in active children aged 8–14. The pain comes from the growth plate at the back of the heel where the Achilles tendon attaches. It often flares during growth spurts or sports involving running and jumping. Kids may limp, avoid activity, or complain of heel pain that eases with rest.
  

Other Injuries We Commonly See

Beyond these we also see injuries including:

• Plantar fasciitis (pain under the heel or arch)
  
• Forefoot capsulitis or bursitis (pain under the ball of the foot)
  
• Bruised or ingrown toenails (common from toe trauma or poorly fitting boots)
  
• Anterior ankle impingement (pain at the front of the ankle from repetitive dorsiflexion)
  
  

Each of these issues can affect your child’s performance, confidence, and future risk of injury if left untreated.

Why Understanding Rugby Matters

Successful treatment doesn’t start and end with an x-ray or a new pair of shoes - it requires an understanding of the game itself. Rugby is unique in its movement patterns, contact, and demands based on field position. This directly affects the type of stress placed on a player’s feet and lower limbs.

Key differences based on field position:

• Backs (e.g. wingers, fullbacks): cover greater total distances, perform frequent high-speed sprints and sharp directional changes
  
  
• Forwards (e.g. props, flankers): experience greater physical contact in scrums, rucks, and mauls, spend more time in low-speed, high-force movements
  
  

This matters because the way forces load through the feet can be very different depending on a player’s position. For example, a young winger with flat feet and recurring heel pain will place stress on their feet in a very different way to a forward who spends much of the game in scrums. That’s why we always take into account positional demands, training load, and individual foot structure when putting together a rehab or prevention plan.

Our 3-Step Approach to Rugby Injury Recovery

Here at The Feet People, all our treatments follow an evidence-based process. In this case, we typically have three stages, with each stage designed to not only heal the injury but also prevent it from returning.

1. Alleviate Pain and Swelling

The first step is all about comfort and early recovery. We use a range of tools and techniques to settle pain and reduce inflammation, such as:

• Rest and activity modification
  
• Ice and elevation for acute injuries
  
• Low-level laser therapy
  
• Compression therapy
  
• Gentle manual therapy or mobilisation

2. Repair the Injury

Once symptoms are under control, we shift the focus to active healing. This stage may include:

• Soft tissue massage or release
  
• Tendon loading programs (for Achilles or plantar injuries)
  
• Foot mobilisation therapy
  
• Orthotic therapy
  
• Neuromuscular retraining to restore foot and ankle function

Research consistently shows that active rehabilitation, not just rest, leads to faster recovery and better long-term outcomes in young athletes.

3. Prevent Re-Injury

The final step is often the most overlooked, but it’s also one of the most important. Our goal is to help players return stronger and stay injury-free by:

• Performing a full biomechanical and gait assessment
  
• Correcting poor foot mechanics with custom orthotics
  
• Recommending rugby boots suited to their position
  
• Strengthening weak muscle groups
  
• Improving proprioception and balance
  
• Providing clear return-to-play guidance

Ultimately, our aim is not just a quick fix, but to build lifelong movement confidence for every young player.

When to See a Podiatrist

It’s worth booking an assessment if your young athlete is:

• Limping during or after play
  
• Complaining of foot or ankle pain
  
• Recovering slowly from an injury
  
• Experiencing recurring sprains or “niggles”
  
• Going through a growth spurt and struggling with pain during sport
  
  
  

Book your appointment with our podiatry team online here or call us on (07) 3356 3579.