Well, it’s almost back to school time for our kids and for many of us that means it’s time to buy them new shoes, but what should you be looking for in school shoes?
Now, it’s very easy to try to save money on school shoes when they’re growing quickly – or they simply destroy them each term! But, at a time when kids spend so much time in their school shoes its critical to get the right fit.
So, let’s talk about:
- The best kind of shoes for your kids
- What to do when looking for new shoes
- How to keep your kids’ feet stronger and well supported – like they should be!
Finding their fit
Ultimately, the best kind of shoe for your child, is a well fitted shoe. Poorly fitted shoes are a very common cause of foot pain or foot disorder. We also know that the way our feet move can have a big impact on the way the rest of our body feels! Hence, first things first is to have your child’s feet measured.
Measure both feet in length and width. The best places to have this done is at one of the various shoe stores that focus on selling school shoes or quality performance shoes – these stores often have people trained in finding the appropriate shoe.
Alternatively, if you are particularly worried about your child’s feet, seeing a podiatrist for the right shoe selection will give you piece of mind that their feet are being well supported. These guys are the foot specialists and will be able to tailor a solution to your child’s feet!
Keeping their feet strong
The second (and equally most important) element to ensuring your kids’ feet are well cared for, is creating and maintaining mobile, strong and stable feet.
The way our feet interact with the ground when we:
- Stand
- Walk
- Run
- Jump
- Skip
- Hop
Hugely impacts the way the rest of our body moves – these are things that kids do, a lot. So why wouldn’t we want to take care our feet?
How do we do this, you ask?
Well, letting kids be kids by being barefoot is a great way to start. Walking on their toes, balancing on lines, stepping onto specks on the floor, running, jumping and skipping – are all easy ways to exercise the foot that are hardly exercises to kids who are full of energy! We know that the more time kids spend barefoot, the more interaction with the ground their feet get – which leads to a better, healthier foot in the long run.
Further, seeing your physiotherapist or exercise physiologist if you’re worried about your child’s feet will absolutely ensure you learn what you need to know about your child and their feet specifically.
They could be walking strangely, struggling to walk, run or jump, or starting to tell you of sore feet, legs or back. These are good indicators it may be time to seek an opinion!
Your feet are super important, so don’t skimp out on looking after our kids feet – we only get two of them!
Book an appointment
If you are worried about yours kids feet or their complaints about other issues in the body, consider scheduling a session with our team and have Precision Physio support you to keep your kids as healthy as possible, you can contact us on 02 8607 4000 or request a call by completing this form.
This blog was written by Liam Palmer – Exercise Physiologist at Precision Physio Concord. If you would like more information, or to work specifically with Liam, you can contact him through the Precision Physio Concord clinic: 02 9736 3950 or book in online.
