BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SAFE FOOTWEAR
Shape and style of shoes
Children's shoes should have a spacious round toe that has enough free space for the toes. The more squared up the inner shoe edge is, the better because in this case the big toe lies in its natural position and it’s not squeezed by the rest of the toes. We warn you not to choose trendy pointed shoes because they can deform child's toes.
Top material
Choose shoes that are made from natural (genuine) materials, such as leather and textiles, that should be soft, breathable, and moisture-absorbing. The most important peculiarity of these materials is that they follow the anatomical foot shape.
List of materials that are absolutely breathable:
• Textiles (natural fibers such as wool, chemical fibers like polyamide ...);
• Leather (but only genuine);
• Waterproof footwear with a special, breathable membrane;
Shoe insoles
Children's feet sweat quite a lot, and the foot is the largest source of moisture. Considering this, every shoe pair, especially one with a closed top, should have a special insole or insert made of absorbent material (processed leather, textiles) in the inner part of the shoe, in the sole area to be more exact
Counter
The foot in the shoe should be fully and well fixed. There should be no undesired side movement of the leg heel. That’s why, any children's shoes should have a special "closed" cutting, such as the sandals with a "full" heel part. Shoes should have a pretty hard, high, and tight enough counter, i.e. the inner shoe knot in the heel area should be like this.
Shoe upper part design
Good fixation of the foot in the shoe is provided by the appropriate design of the upper part as well because it is exactly the upper part that firmly keeps the foot in the necessary position and protects it from damage and accidents when walking. We recommend shoes with laces, or with a closed upper with straps or Velcro fasteners. In the smallest size groups, we recommend you buying only ankle-length shoes.
Shoe flexibility
The place where the leg bends when walking is the "warmest" shoe area. Shoes that are too tight and not bendable enough increase fatigue, affect comfort while walking, and prevent healthy leg development. There is a general rule, which is "the thicker the sole, the harder it is to bend the shoe". When buying shoes, we recommend that you check what resistance the boots have when bending them from the toe to the vamp.
Shoe shock-absorption properties
Jumping onto hard surfaces such as concrete, asphalt, cobblestone can deform the bone and joint. A sole with good shock-absorption properties is a preventive measure against such consequences.
Sole
The sole of children's shoes should be as thin as possible, with a large surface area in order for the child to balance easier. However, a very thin sole under the heel is unacceptable for children’s shoes.
Shoe weight
Many people often ignore such footwear characteristics as weight. It should be as light as possible because the child makes from 18 to 20 thousand steps per day.