Sometimes
you may notice issues with the way your child walks or runs. You may be concerned about flat feet, pigeon toed walk, growing pains, or joint and muscle pains.
Most of the time this can
be related to their normal development. Children go through many years of joint rotations whilst they’re
growing, so it is normal that they will go through periods of having flat feet, knock kneed and bow
legged.
If you are ever concerned, especially if
your child is in pain, please bring them to have their joints and walking
checked.
Does my child need orthotics or special shoes?
Depending on your child's problem, orthotics may be one
treatment option. They are used to control movement that is causing pain and fit easily into current school shoes and joggers. Depending on the issue, stretching or strengthening exercises, strapping,
padding and/or footwear advice may also be used.
Nowadays it is very rare for children to be required to wear braces or orthopaedic shoes, unless a neurological or development problem has been diagnosed. Commercial
shoes are so good these days that appropriate shoes are available from common
retail outlets at reasonable prices.
What do I look for
in a good shoe?
- Always
get your child's shoes fitted as their feet grow very quickly and same sizes
vary between different brands.
- Shoes that are
too large can cause tripping and too short cause pain. When
your child is standing ensure the longest toe is a thumb width away from the
end of the shoe to give enough room for growth.
- Look
for shoe attributes rather than brand names.
- Consider some kind of “fixation” device, so the foot is held into the
shoe, e.g. laces, buckles or sandals with straps.
- Buy
a shoes for the activity, e.g. soccer boots for soccer and runners for school
sport rather than having them in schools shoes.
- Children
need to be comfortable and allowed to develop properly, so excessively stiff shoes are not required.
- Avoid backless slip on
shoes / slides as they may make your child unstable
- High heels
they have a poor effect on posture
