It’s likely that your children have outgrown their shoes from last year or at least out worn them. Your child’s shoes can affect the health of their feet, ankles, and entire body so it’s important to find a healthy pair.
With the endless numbers of styles it can be difficult to determine the right footwear for your child. Therefore Dr. Tejas Pandya has come up with some helpful guidelines to finding the healthiest shoes.
- Measure both feet. You should have your child’s feet properly measured before every purchase. Children’s feet can grow very quickly and at different rates. This often results in their feet being two different sizes. So when you measure their feet, fit their shoes to the larger foot. Ill-fitting footwear can result in a number of different foot ailments.
- Take a stand. You should measure your child’s feet while they are in a standing position. When your child stands his or her feet bear the weight of his or her whole body, which can make feet expand under pressure. This ensures that shoes will be comfortable during weight bearing activities like sports, exercise, or even just walking and standing.
- Find the perfect fit. Ill-fitting shoes refer to both shoes that are too small and too big, both of which can result in foot ailments. Your child should have about a thumb’s width between their big toe and the end of their shoe. The toe box should also leave enough room so that they can comfortably wiggle those toes. Shoes should also fit tight enough that the heel does not slip out the back.
- Take a little walk. Shoes need to fit comfortably while sitting, standing and walking. Your child should try on both shoes and walk around the store to examine their comfort in motion. You also want to bring their own socks along to try on with the shoes. You should then question your child about any irritations or uncomfortable pressure from the footwear.
- Examine the shoes. Children’s shoes should not collapse under pressure. Look for shoes with heels that are made from a durable material to hold in a fixed position. Shoes should also have a proper layer of cushioning on the insole and sufficient arch support. Shoes should bend at the ball of your child’s foot, but they should not in the middle nor should they be able to fold completely in half.
References:
http://www.capitaldistrictpodiatry.com/library/1783/Children%27sShoes.html
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00143
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