How to fit a school shoe
Did you know that 60-70% of people are wearing incorrectly fitting shoes? But how can this impact your child’s feet?
Grabbing a new pair of school shoes might just seem like a chore to tick off the list, but poorly fitted shoes can have acutely painful and/or lasting effects on children’s feet.
Studies have shown us that there is a significant relationship between poorly fitting shoes and increased bunion and hammer toe deformities in children! This can cause pain in the big toe, increased sites of pressure, difficulty fitting into shoes in later life and abnormal walking patterns.
Shoes that are too small can increase the pressure on the toenails, causing them to dig into the skin of the toes. Ingrown nails can be very painful, may become infected and can turn into a recurring and upsetting concern for children.
On the other hand, footwear that is too large can cause your child to fall or trip regularly.
This is how to ensure your child is wearing the right footwear:
You re-assess your child’s footwear every 3-6 months,
Ensure that there is a thumbs width from their longest toe to the end of the shoe
That they can wiggle their toes comfortably at the front of the shoe.
If you’re unsure whether the shoes your choosing are appropriate for your children’s feet, drop into JS Podiatry for a footwear assessment and more tips and tricks on how to fit your footwear well!
