20 Jan What To Do Before Buying New School Shoes
School’s (almost) in session. You’ve ticked off every item on your child’s stationery list, got them fitted for their uniforms, and have a meal plan ready for their lunchboxes. But what about their footwear? Given that your child will spend six or more hours in their school shoes, all this while their feet are developing and growing, it’s so important that they wear the right shoes that give them the support and functionality their feet need.
6 Signs to Watch For
- Do the soles of your child’s footwear have more wear on one shoe than on the other?
- Does your child regularly complain about pain in their feet or legs? Does the pain increase when they engage in any physical activities?
- Is your child “pigeon-toed” (feet turning inwards)? Or, do their feet turn markedly outwards?
- Does your child walk on their tiptoes?
- Does your child constantly trip or fall?
- Does your child have high arches or flat feet?
If you’ve answered ‘Yes’ to any of the above questions, it’s time to get professional help from our podiatrists.
Why Get Professionally Fitted
Identifying your child’s foot problem and sorting it out sooner when your child’s feet are developing, is better than doing it retroactively. Our podiatrists will check that your child is wearing shoes that fit correctly and suit their physical activities. In case orthotics are needed, footinjuryclinic has an in-house laboratory and our podiatrists can custom-make these orthoses according to your child’s exact needs. The earlier you sort out your child’s foot issues, the better for them as they grow and develop.
Our podiatrists will take into consideration how active your child is, the type of activities they engage in, previous or current injuries, whether their foot is flat or high-arched, their gait, etc.
What Needs to be Done Next?
Once our podiatrists assess your child’s feet, they will write down all the recommendations so that you can go to the shoe shop, armed with the right knowledge. This “shoe script” may include particular footwear styles and brands to best suit your child’s growing feet, information on shoe size, width, whether the shoes need arch support or not, etc.
It’s important to keep track of your children’s feet regularly as they grow. Never let them wear shoes that are too tight or too loose. Their shoes need to have about 1-2cm of growing room between the longest toe and the top of the shoe, as well as fit comfortably around the heel.
Need assistance with your child’s school and sports shoes? Our podiatrists are here to help. Book an appointment online here OR call our clinics on these numbers:
Barangaroo: 9386 5400
Bondi Junction: 9386 5400
St Ives: 9440 4600