children's foot health

Because young children's ligaments are very loose, a child’s feet can be squeezed into ill fitting shoes, worn, or loose shoes without them feeling any immediate discomfort. But long-term damage can occur. Shoes that are too small can squash toes or encourage bunion joints to develop. Shoes that are too wide or big mean the child has to grip with his or her toes to keep them on, leading to a condition known as "claw toes”.

A properly fitted shoe should support the arch and be unrestricted around the toes, allowing them to splay on contact with the ground, which is what happens while walking. A child’s first shoes should be soft-soled so the foot has to work a little bit harder to provide support. With later shows leather uppers and breathable liners so all the running about children do lets the moisture the foots sweat glands produce to escape.

1. Verruca
2. Warts
3. Curly Toes
4. Tip – toe walking
5. Flat Feet
6. Painful heels
7. Bunions
8. Hypermobility

Correct footwear in terms of fitting and style is very important for children. Slip-on shoes, loose, badly fitting or worn shoes can also cause foot damage. Impacting how the foot relates to the ground to ensure structural safety. Children are assessed with their parents present and advice is given on the appropriate management for the condition in question. Wearing T-shirt and shorts (the child, not the parent) is useful to aid an assessment as well as bringing a selection of their normal day to day footwear.