8 Most Important Features to Look for In Child Shoes
Material
The material from which the shoes are made has to be stretchable, yielding, it should ensure free air access and moisture evaporation. These can be natural materials (genuine leather, nubuck, fur) or modern high-technology materials - HTM. They have a special waterproof but at the same time breathable membrane that allows you to regulate the microclimate inside the shoe. The inner surface of the shoe should be made of natural material, leather, or woolen textiles.
Sole
For the correct foot arch development, foot muscles and ligaments have to be constantly working. Grass, stones, sand, ground (of course, in case if you run on them barefoot), as well as different coatings that imitate these surfaces (such as special rugs) stimulate the footwork. The foot muscles and ligaments don’t work on an even hard surface (including a hard sole). The sole should be flexible. This can be checked by bending the shoe. The sole should be non-slippery (a lug sole, for example). This applies not just to winter shoes, which definitely have to be like this, but also to any other type of shoes. The child shouldn’t be sliding while having fun on the climbing structures, stairs, slides. Winter shoes should have a thicker sole than spring-autumn ones so that the child’s feet don’t freeze.
Counter
The counter should be solid (without any cutouts) and stiff enough to hold the heel tightly and prevent it from slipping and twisting to the side. Pay attention that the counter has a rounded top and doesn’t cut into the bones located on the feet sides.
Heel
A small heel is necessary for gait development. Its height should be no more than 5-7 mm.
Instep support
For the prevention of flat feet, children's shoes often have instep support, which helps in the development of a normal foot arch. However, this doesn’t mean that the absence of instep support will necessarily result in flat feet. The instep support should be flexible so that it squeezes and straightens under the foot pressure. The instep support shouldn’t be too large, otherwise, this can lead to foot development disorders, and the child will twist his feet outwards. You can’t buy shoes with instep support "to grow into", since the location of the instep support will not correspond to the child's foot arch, which can lead to its improper development. For the same reason, it‘s not recommended to wear shoes that were once worn by any other person, as they most likely took the shape of the foot of their previous owner.
Fastener
The fastener should be adjustable in order to fix the shoe on the foot well. Even a one-year-old baby can take off and put on Velcro shoes, so choosing such models indeed makes sense.
Weight
Children's shoes should be lightweight, otherwise, the child will get tired soon.
Comfort
Check the inside of the children’s shoes with your fingers in order to make sure that there are no stiff seams or cleats that can rub the child’s foot. From a medical point of view, the concept of comfortable and safe shoes both for adults and children has to include particular principles. These principles are based on modern scientific developments and are created using a long history of doctors and shoe manufacturers working together. One of the most important criteria for ensuring orthopedic correctness, medical safety, the required physical and mechanical properties, and hygienic sterility is the type and quality of materials used in shoe manufacturing.
Approximately 98% of all children are born with healthy feet. Later on, when they become adults, 40% of them suffer from different foot disorders, of which about 12% can‘t be cured medically. What’s more, the analysis of the surgeries number shows, that this trend is only increasing. In the past, the main reasons for injuries and problems associated with children's feet were mainly diseases obtained due to malnutrition and overwork. Today, there is almost one and only reason that is to blame, which is poor quality or improperly chosen children's shoes!
Foot deformation occurs mainly when wearing shoes that are not chosen properly - i.e. they’re either too narrow, or too pointed, or vice versa, very wide. When walking, the leg slides to the toe, which leads to severe foot pinch. Pointed high-heeled shoes are especially unsafe to wear. It looks like many parents simply have no idea on how to choose the right children's shoes. The next reason, which is no less important, is the fact that, unfortunately, on our market, there is footwear which knowingly doesn’t meet the most basic orthopedic and hygienic requirements, as well as basic medical standards. It‘s the reason why the Czech Footwear and Leather Association was established. The product certificate of this association is an official confirmation that the footwear fully meets all modern medical and hygienic requirements for children's footwear.
The material from which the shoes are made has to be stretchable, yielding, it should ensure free air access and moisture evaporation. These can be natural materials (genuine leather, nubuck, fur) or modern high-technology materials - HTM. They have a special waterproof but at the same time breathable membrane that allows you to regulate the microclimate inside the shoe. The inner surface of the shoe should be made of natural material, leather, or woolen textiles.
Sole
For the correct foot arch development, foot muscles and ligaments have to be constantly working. Grass, stones, sand, ground (of course, in case if you run on them barefoot), as well as different coatings that imitate these surfaces (such as special rugs) stimulate the footwork. The foot muscles and ligaments don’t work on an even hard surface (including a hard sole). The sole should be flexible. This can be checked by bending the shoe. The sole should be non-slippery (a lug sole, for example). This applies not just to winter shoes, which definitely have to be like this, but also to any other type of shoes. The child shouldn’t be sliding while having fun on the climbing structures, stairs, slides. Winter shoes should have a thicker sole than spring-autumn ones so that the child’s feet don’t freeze.
Counter
The counter should be solid (without any cutouts) and stiff enough to hold the heel tightly and prevent it from slipping and twisting to the side. Pay attention that the counter has a rounded top and doesn’t cut into the bones located on the feet sides.
Heel
A small heel is necessary for gait development. Its height should be no more than 5-7 mm.
Instep support
For the prevention of flat feet, children's shoes often have instep support, which helps in the development of a normal foot arch. However, this doesn’t mean that the absence of instep support will necessarily result in flat feet. The instep support should be flexible so that it squeezes and straightens under the foot pressure. The instep support shouldn’t be too large, otherwise, this can lead to foot development disorders, and the child will twist his feet outwards. You can’t buy shoes with instep support "to grow into", since the location of the instep support will not correspond to the child's foot arch, which can lead to its improper development. For the same reason, it‘s not recommended to wear shoes that were once worn by any other person, as they most likely took the shape of the foot of their previous owner.
Fastener
The fastener should be adjustable in order to fix the shoe on the foot well. Even a one-year-old baby can take off and put on Velcro shoes, so choosing such models indeed makes sense.
Weight
Children's shoes should be lightweight, otherwise, the child will get tired soon.
Comfort
Check the inside of the children’s shoes with your fingers in order to make sure that there are no stiff seams or cleats that can rub the child’s foot. From a medical point of view, the concept of comfortable and safe shoes both for adults and children has to include particular principles. These principles are based on modern scientific developments and are created using a long history of doctors and shoe manufacturers working together. One of the most important criteria for ensuring orthopedic correctness, medical safety, the required physical and mechanical properties, and hygienic sterility is the type and quality of materials used in shoe manufacturing.
Approximately 98% of all children are born with healthy feet. Later on, when they become adults, 40% of them suffer from different foot disorders, of which about 12% can‘t be cured medically. What’s more, the analysis of the surgeries number shows, that this trend is only increasing. In the past, the main reasons for injuries and problems associated with children's feet were mainly diseases obtained due to malnutrition and overwork. Today, there is almost one and only reason that is to blame, which is poor quality or improperly chosen children's shoes!
Foot deformation occurs mainly when wearing shoes that are not chosen properly - i.e. they’re either too narrow, or too pointed, or vice versa, very wide. When walking, the leg slides to the toe, which leads to severe foot pinch. Pointed high-heeled shoes are especially unsafe to wear. It looks like many parents simply have no idea on how to choose the right children's shoes. The next reason, which is no less important, is the fact that, unfortunately, on our market, there is footwear which knowingly doesn’t meet the most basic orthopedic and hygienic requirements, as well as basic medical standards. It‘s the reason why the Czech Footwear and Leather Association was established. The product certificate of this association is an official confirmation that the footwear fully meets all modern medical and hygienic requirements for children's footwear.