When it comes to general problems with your child’s feet, we see many issues day to day. Flat feet, rolled-in feet, in-toeing (pigeon toed), walking on tip-toes, toe clawing, clumsiness or poor balance and low muscle tone are a few. That’s why a correctly fitted school shoe is important so it doesn’t exaggerate these issues and cause further damage.

So, when finding the right fit for your child consider the following:

Take school socks with you

The thickness of the sock will affect the fitting of the shoe so bring a pair of school socks with you when shopping for shoes to avoid an ill-fitted shoe.

Morning or Afternoon

Shop for shoes later in the day as feet can swell.

To break in or not

Shoes should feel comfortable immediately. There is no need to “break them in”

What size suits your child

There should be the child’s thumb width between the child’s longest toe and the end of the shoe while they are standing. Keep in mind that the longest toe isn’t always the big toe.

school shoes

The heel shouldn’t slip

Have your child try both shoes and walk around in them. The shoe should fit so that the heel does not slip up and down. Too large a shoe can lead to slips, trips and falls.

What style of shoe fastener is needed

Shoes can be lace up, Velcro or buckle.

Who should fit the shoes

Get fitted by someone that is knowledgeable and trained.

After school

Remember when your child gets home, take their shoes off. They should have as much time as possible without their school shoes on to help strengthen their foot muscles.

Moreland Podiatry: Specialist Children’s Podiatrists

At Moreland Podiatry our Podiatrists are trained in all aspects of Children’s Podiatry. If you have any concerns about your child’s growing feet, please contact our office to speak with one of our friendly staff or book an appointment online.