BUYING shoes for your kids can be an ordeal.
You only have a short window before they tire of trying on different pairs and start playing up.
Registered podiatrist Paul Macaulay has shared five 5 features all your kid’s shoes must have
But it’s very important for find the right shoes for your little ones footsies, said podiatrist Paul Macaulay.
Wearing the wrong shoes can leave you little one with foot issues for life.
Children’s feet are constantly growing, meaning they are vulnerable to deformity, particularly while soft cartilage is forming into bone, the NHS says on its website.
If young feet are well looked about they should remain healthy well into adulthood.
It’s important to remember a child’s foot is not a smaller replica of an adult’s foot and should therefore be treated differently.
In a video shared on Tiktok, the expert shared five five features all your kid’s shoes must have – which should make picking them out a bit easier.
1. Strap or laces
It is also important for the shoe to have a lace, a strap or a buckle, the the Singapore-based expert
Without support helping to keep the shoe on, your child’s toes will be forced to claw for extra grip, the NHS says.
The constant gripping of the toes, can lead to the toes becoming permanently clawed.
It can also lead to tendonitis — when a tendon swells and becomes inflamed, causing pain and stiffness.
2. Firm heel
Unlike adult feet, the narrowest part of a child’s foot is the heel.
Because of this, Paul urged parents to make sure the heel of the shoe is firm around the child’s foot.
If the heel of the shoe is is loose this will cause the toes to claw to keep the foot in the shoe.
According to the NHS, having poor support for the heel can lead to painful and swollen feet and can even cause problems with the hips and knees.
3. Wide toe box
The widest part of a child’s foot is across the toes.
The shape of the shoe and especially the toe area should be wide and round allowing for toes to move and spread, the expert added.
The NHS says you should leave at least a thumbs width between the end of the foot and the end of the shoe.
If it is tapered or pointed this can cramp the toes together and may lead to a foot deformity such as bunions.
4. Won’t bend
It’s important that the shoes are durable and will stand the test of time, Paul said.
Kids run around a lot – you want shoes that can survive this.
Making sure they won’t bend is a good test for how firm the shoes are.
In a previous video, the expert said wearing soft shoes leaves the feet having to do more hard work to keep them on.
This can leave feet feeling comfortable during the day, but actually leave them more tired compared to wearing more supportive shoes.