Children's Back to School Shoes Tips

In keeping up with school demands and the latest trends in threads, let’s not forget to update their treads! Ok, I had to go there! Dr Seuss is still alive and well at my house!

As a podiatrist mom of three kids, you can only imagine how obsessed I can get about the shoes they wear at school! And here I am sharing my obsession with other obsessed parents!

Fortunately, I do not know of a school that allows flip flop. Hooray for that! Sandals are still permitted and if you must, please know that every year I see stubbed toes, broken toes, blisters, arch and heel pain, tendinitis and sprained ankles from unsupported sandals. At the very least, if you must go there as a shoe option, choose a sandal with a good arch support and one that straps around the back of the ankle. Still will have the stubbed and broken toes though!

Let’s not forget the shoes for those older kids playing a sport! Your best bet with them is a sport-specific shoe with a sport-specific support in their shoes.

Remember, it’s not how the shoe looks, but how it feels!

I am guilty as charged on this one! The shoe is too cute pass up and go figure, she says they hurt! Bummer! Then there is the other half of the coin where your child loves the shoe and swears up and down they are a perfect fit only to come home from school with blisters! Bummer!

Most of us have feet that are slightly different in size, and kids are no different. When sizing the shoe, always buy the shoe to fit the larger. Always have your child’s shoe size measured. One summer can mean one half to full size of foot growth. I recommend measuring the foot while your child is standing and allowing about a half-inch of growth room at the end of the shoe. You should allow one thumb width from the end of their toe to the end of the shoe. And don’t forget to measure the width of your child’s foot as well. Having a shoe their foot swims in is just as blister-causing as one that is too tight!

Look at the shoe and observe where the seams are. Run your hand on the inside of the shoe for any rough spots or irregularities. You may have the correct size and width, but if a seam is rubbing on the wrong spot, that particular shoe may not be the best style. Try different brands or styles of athletic shoes before settling on any particular one.

If your child is having trouble with their feet and you know the shoe fits and style is seems fine, don’t hesitate to have us check them out! It may be the way your child’s foot walks or the type of foot they were born with that makes them so difficult to shop for. Let us help sort it out! Nothing like a little piece of mind for a new school year!