Tips on Back to School Shoes and Childrens Foot Pain
Over the next couple of weeks, children will be returning to school in Point Cook. At TFC Podiatry we have had an influx of parents and children coming to the clinic looking for advice on child foot pain, orthotics and school shoes.
One of the most questions we get are around school shoes. What shoes do Podiatrists recommend for school? At the clinic in Podiatry there are a few key things that we recommend that are present in quality school shoes and can help prevent a multitude of painful foot and ankle conditions.
1. The fit of the footwear, School shoes should be fitted so that they fit the foot now rather than being purchased so that the shoes fit in 6 months’ time or a year, buying ill-fitting footwear so that they might fit in 6 months time can lead to trips and foot injuries. Having a thumbs width from the end of the shoe is a good way to tell if the length of the shoes is appropriate. Measuring this width from the end of the toes to the end of the shoe, with your child standing and pulling their toes up into the shoe upper.
2. Bending point. The shoe should only bend at this big toe, this is the only place the foot bends and will provide the most support to the foot during walking. A good pair of school shoes will only flex where the foot flexes.
3. Heel counter. The heel counter is the part of the shoe that runs behind the heel, this is an important key feature when it comes to school shoes. The heel counter should be firm and be well padded to prevent blistering and provide support.
4. Twist test. When the shoe is held at the heel and the toes and twisted it should provide good resistance to the twisting motion, the shoe should be able to be twisted but must be reasonably difficult to do so.
5. Removable insoles. If your child has orthotics, it is always advised that your school shoes have removable insoles that can be removed to make room for your childs current orthotics.
These are some basic key tests to perform in a shoe store. If you feel like you have a specific question or concern, please contact our Point Cook Podiatry Clinic.
