Back-to-School Shoe Shopping Tips for Healthy Feet | Health and Wellness Online Features
(StatePoint) The start of a new school year brings many “to dos,” including back-to-school shoe shopping. It’s important to find the right shoes for your child at different stages in their lives. Foot and ankle surgeons, often referred to as foot physicians or podiatrists, recommend shopping wisely for the proper shoes to help minimize foot problems caused by poorly-fitting shoes and help you address any foot issues your child may have.
Use these tips from the foot and ankle surgeons of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) in your quest for school shoes for your children.
1. Shoes should fit. Your child’s feet can grow up to two sizes in six months, so account for growth when shopping. This doesn’t mean you should buy shoes that are too big — oversized shoes can cause the foot to slide forward, putting excessive pressure on the toes.
“A good fit is about a finger’s width from the end of the shoe to the tip of the big toe,” says Dr. Brett Sachs, DPM, FACFAS, a foot and ankle surgeon and Fellow Member of ACFAS.
Dr. Sachs warns that tight shoes can cause blisters, corns and calluses on your child’s toes, blisters on the back of their heels, or worse, ingrown nails, which can become infected. Signs of infection from ingrown nails include pain, redness or fluid draining from the area. If you notice any of these symptoms, schedule an appointment with a foot and ankle surgeon, who can perform a simple, safe in-office procedure to remove the nail.
