School Shoes

All parents want to ensure their children put their best foot forward when they go off to school - and there is no better way of doing that than ensuring they have the right shoes.

Why are the right shoes important?

Shoes that fit are vital to a young child's rapidly growing feet. By the time a child reaches the age of 12, his or her feet will have reached about 90 percent of their adult length. Therefore, development of a child's feet is especially important in these first 12 years of life and it is the reason podiatrists consider the early years to be essential in the development of feet and foot problems.

Children who continuously wear incorrect shoes can develop many problems in later life and exacerbate inherited foot problems. Common problems such as hammer toes, caused by shoes which are too big or too small, ingrown toenails, cracked or fissured heels from continued use of sling back shoes, and corns under the toe nails can be prevented by selecting the right shoe.

How do I choose the right shoe?

Here are some useful tips for parents buying shoes for their children:

• Try shoes on with socks that will be worn with the shoes
• Stand-up to tie laces and check width
• Check length from the longest toe - not always the big toe
• Never buy a shoe for a child to 'grow into'
• Ensure the shoe is flexible at the ball of the foot
• Never wear hand-me-down shoes - they mould the child's foot to someone else's shape and can cause problems
• Try both shoes on - very few people have two feet with the same width and length
• Perhaps the most important advice for parents is to visit a reputable shoe store where sales assistants are trained in correctly fitting shoes

What type of shoe should I buy?

Sports shoes are marketed so extensively, children can be under a lot of peer pressure to wear the most expensive brand sports shoes. At the other end of the scale, many parents view cheap sports shoes as an alternative to traditional school shoes. But, as the name suggests, sports shoes are best left for sporting activities.

Not only are sports shoes unnecessary for children in their everyday school activities, but also some of the cheaper brands offer little in the way of support. Traditional school shoes are the best option for putting your children in good stead. Not only are they likely to outlast sports shoes, but also will provide the support so crucial to young feet.

What should the shoe be made of?

Podiatrists recommend professionally fitted supportive, lace-up, leather shoes as the best option for school footwear. Leather offers durability, is easy to clean and allows feet to breathe.

Many sports shoes, on the other hand, have a high synthetic quantity that can produce a hot, moist environment. This creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and fungus that can lead to tinea, infected nails and foot odour.

How long should the shoes last?

Children grow at different speeds and wear shoes down at different rates. But there are some important things to do once you have selected the right shoe.

First, ensure you check the fit regularly. Children's feet grow quickly and, since shoes up to two sizes too small may not cause a lot of discomfort for the child, you may not even be aware a new pair is needed.

It is also important to regularly check the shoe for wear. Shoes that are worn down badly can cause as many problems to a child's feet as ill-fitting shoes.

So get your children off on the right foot with a good pair of shoes.