Finding the Right Back-to-School Shoes

Preparing for a new school year means back-to-school shopping for the usual supplies, clothes and shoes. Shoes should be one of the most important items on any back-to-school shopping list. While many youngsters many want to find the latest and greatest or coolest shoes, parents should consider some important factors on shopping for the right shoes. The American Podiatric Medical Association put together these tips on shoe shopping. 

1. Children’s feet change with age. Shoe and sock sizes may change every few months as a child’s feet grow.
2. Shoes that don’t fit properly can aggravate the feet. Always measure a child’s feet before buying shoes, and watch for signs of irritation.
3. Never hand down footwear. Just because a shoe size fits one child comfortably doesn’t mean it will fit another the same way. Also, sharing shoes can spread fungi like athlete’s foot and nail fungus.
4. Examine the heels. Children may wear through the heels of shoes quicker than outgrowing shoes themselves. Uneven heel wear can indicate a foot problem that should be checked by a podiatrist.
5. Take your child shoe shopping. Every shoe fits differently. Letting a child have a say in the shoe buying process promotes healthy foot habits down the road.
6. Always buy for the larger foot. Feet are seldom precisely the same size.
7. Buy shoes that do not need a “break-in” period. Shoes should be comfortable immediately. Also make sure to have your child try on shoes with socks or tights, if that’s how they’ll be worn.

Not only is finding the right shoe size important, the overall structure of a shoe is critical. A good shoe should have a stiff heel that cannot be easily squeezed or bent. The toe box of the shoe should bend flexibly when your child walks. And the shoe should have a solid midsole that should never twist in the middle. 


Properly fitting and structured shoes can help children avoid years of pain and future ailments. Click here for a list of children’s shoes that have been awarded APMA’s Seal of Acceptance. 

A common cause of heel pain in children

Heel pain is as common in children as it is in adults, except the cause of heel pain for most children is due to inflammation of the growing bone of the heel. This inflammatory condition is known as Sever’s disease or Calcaneal Apophysitis.

Sever’s disease is characterized by pain in the heel caused by inflammation of the calcaneal physis or growing heel bone. The heel bone becomes inflamed in an area in which growth is still occurring called the physis. The physis becomes inflamed due to excessive pulling of the Achilles tendon.  Most physicians agree that the heel pain in Sever’s disease is due to micro-trauma in the growing heel bone due to over pulling of the Achilles tendon; however, the absolute cause of Sever’s disease is unknown.

Sever’s disease is considered to be an overuse-disease in children between the ages of 8 – 12 years old. Symptoms are most common in active or overweight children, especially in children who play soccer, participate in gymnastics, or any activities that requires excess running or jumping. Commonly, children who play soccer develop Sever’s disease because of their footwear or soccer cleats. Most soccer cleats have negative heels, which will increase stress in the region where the Achilles tendon inserts onto the heel.

Sever’s disease can occur in one or both heels. Clinically, children with Sever’s disease will have no swelling or redness, but instead will have extreme tenderness on the back of their heel, especially when squeezed and causes heel pain in children. It can be easily treated with simple heel lifts in a child’s shoe or with rest, ice, and pain medication. However, in extreme cases it is necessary to immobilize the whole foot in a cast for a week or two for proper healing of the inflamed bone. If you think your child has Sever’s disease see a podiatrist. For more information on heel pain and other foot related issues, please visit our website.

Myth: All babies have flat feet

There is nothing more important for parents than the health of their child. While visits to the pediatrician are common, the wellness of those tiny feet and toes are often overlooked.

When a young child starts to first walk at about the age of 9-15 months of age, the foot has a fat or chubby appearance where there is a less bony architecture apparent in the foot. At this point in the development of the foot, it is very difficult to evaluate whether the child will have future problems with a flatfoot deformity.

At the ages of two and three, the child's foot starts to show more of its characteristic shape since the foot is less fat and the bones are more prominent. If the child has flat feet at the ages of two to three, then it is wise to have the foot examined by a foot specialist such as a podiatrist. Early detection of foot ailments can eliminate a lifetime of pain.

Children with flat feet are known to have foot pain and if left untreated, the pain may lead to future foot ailments and possible joint pain. Children typically do not grow out of having a flat foot, but if detected early children’s flat feet can be corrected simply through special braces, shoes, or with insoles. Treating a child’s flat foot not only aids in the prevention of future foot pain. Early detection can allow for permanent correction of foot deformities.

Things to watch for:

Since flat feet deformities causes instability of the foot while walking, children with flat feet may complain about discomfort in the foot arch, heel, or ankle pain. The discomfort is often aggravated with increased standing, walking, or running activities. However, since the excessive rolling inward of the arches may also make the leg and knee more turned inwards, children with flat feet may also complain of pain in the low back, hip, knee, or leg due to the abnormal mechanics of the foot which is created by the flat foot deformity.

If you think your child may have flat feet see a podiatrist.  Some thing that seems so trivial can potential save your child from years of grief. To learn more about flat foot deformities check out our link foot deformities.