How to…Make sure your child is wearing the correctly fitting shoes
With the new school term fast approaching, it’s time to think about getting a new pair of school shoes. During the long summer break, it is possible your child’s feet have grown, meaning that shoes fitting in June may no longer be big enough in September.
It is really important to make sure your child is wearing shoes that fit feet properly for both length and width and are fitted by a trained fitter. Badly fitting shoes can lead to foot deformities and bad foot health. Your child spends a great deal of time in school shoes so investing in good footwear is crucial.
Some schools insist on children changing into Plimsolls once arriving in school. This is not ideal. Generally left in shoe bags at school over night, sweat in the shoe does not have a chance to dry out. They do not come in width fittings or half sizes so toe deformities can happen, especially in young reception aged children.
To make sure your child is wearing the correct size, feet should be re-measured every eight weeks. Shoe shops do not charge for this.
If your child is going through a growth spurt, it would be a good idea to get feet checked more frequently.
Children’s feet grow on average two size per year for the first four years of their lives. After that, growth slows to one size per year until reaching their final size.
As well as keeping an eye on foot size, check your children’s foot health. There should be no areas of redness on the feet or toes. Keep an eye out for blisters at the back of the heel or on the joints of toes as these can indicate badly fitting shoes.
With so many school shoe options available, ranging from cheap ballet pumps at supermarkets to expensive, well fitted leather shoes at independent shoe shops, how do you go about choosing a good pair of school shoes?
Podiatrist for the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, Lorraine Jones advises Chopsy Baby readers on what to look for:
Lorraine says: “The toe area should be foot-shaped and of sufficient depth which will allow the toes to move freely. The heel height should be no greater than 4cm with a broad base of shock-absorbing material. The shoe should fit snugly around the heel area. It should be held on the foot with laces, Velcro or a strap and is made of leather.
“Parents should avoid; narrow shoes with pointed toes that don’t allow the toes to move freely; heels higher than 4centimeters and shoes made from man-made materials as these don’t allow the feet to breathe and can make the feet prone to fungal infections”
For more help and information on fitting shoes for both yourself and your child, visit: www.feetforlife.org/index.html