Hello everybody! How is your new year going so far? With just a few weeks to go before the new school year, some of you may have a long to-get list, and school shoes often make it to the list! So, we thought we would share a few tips with you to help you choose the best shoes for your child’s growing feet! ??

TIP #1: Always go shoe shopping in the afternoon ☀️

Our feet tend to get a bit bigger during the day due to some degree of swelling (thanks, gravity ?). If you try on shoes in the afternoon, you can be certain that the new school shoes will have room to accomodate slight changes in foot size.

TIP #2: Bring your own socks ?

Most of us are in sandals or flip flops this time of the year. While some shops may give you a pair of socks to try the shoes with, and that seems very considerate and helpful, it may not actually be the best idea. Why? Well, you don’t know whether the socks have EVER been washed! You don’t know what the previous person(s) had on their feet – fungus and warts are both highly contagious. The last thing you want is to pick up these things from wearing communal socks. Also, the socks that you normally wear may be in a different thickness, which will affect the fit and feel of the shoes. So, to keep your feet and to make sure your shoes are the right fit, bring a pair of socks with you to shoe shopping.

TIP #3: Look for good support in school shoes ?

Now, you are probably asking what defines a shoe as having good support. Here’s a quick test – hold the shoe with two hands, give it a good twist and band. If the shoe twists or bands in the middle, then it’s a big NO-NO ??‍♀️ One of our favourite brands for school shoes is Ascent for its thoughtful and practical design (not sponsored!). According to Ascent, their school shoes are sport shoes in disguise – how awesome is that! We all know kids LOVE roaming around. A good pair of shoes is essential for keeping their growing feet healthy and strong ??

Final thought, should kids see a podiatrist? ?

There are a few scenarios where a child/teenager SHOULD see a podiatrist:

1. The child is experiencing pain ? – heel pain, arch pain, ankle pain, shin splints, knee pain, and even hip pain are VERY common in growing kids, active and not-so-active alike. These pains are often normalised as growing pains and left untreated, affecting a child’s participation and performance in sports and school in general. Growing pains are NOT normal and should be treated.
2. The child has never seen a podiatrist – it is a good idea to identify risk factors that may predispose the child to growing pains. Are their shoes appropriate for the activities they do? Do they have hypermobility in their feet and ankles? Does their foot type put them at a higher risk of injuries? These things can be addressed by implementing the right strategies.
3. The child needs to have orthotics tailor made for certain shoes – footy boots, for instance, are a lot narrower than school shoes. Because of that, they often require slimmer orthotics which can only be achieved through customisation. If that’s the case, bring the shoes with you to the appointment, so the podiatrist knows what the shoes look like and can prescribe your child’s orthotics according to them.

We hope you have enjoyed reading this article and found the tips helpful. We regularly see children of all ages, so if your child needs some help with their feet, let us know! To book online, click HERE