Getting the right fit for little feet
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Written by Lesley Waddy MSSF
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 Most parents are aware that buying good quality, properly fitted shoes
is part of their responsibility to keep their children fit and healthy.
Just as important as making sure they have a balanced diet and plenty
of exercise. We all make sure they visit the dentist for regular check-ups and likewise the optician but, sometimes, feet come much further down the list of priorities. There are many brand names on the market – some well known to us others not so familiar. There is no standardisation of shoe sizing in the UK, which is why it is extremely important to have your child properly measured and fitted at a store where ALL the staff are qualified, and who understand the differences between different brands, both English and Continental and will ensure your child has been correctly measured and fitted with the right footwear for the right occasion. Don’t be afraid to ask the fitter what qualifications they have if you can’t see any certificates displayed.
From birth to early teens our feet are at their most vulnerable. By school age a child’s foot contains 45 bone centres which, over the years of growth, fuse together continuously until mid teens to make 26 bones in a normal adult foot. These bones do not harden (ossify) until we reach our late teens….a lot of damage can be done in those formative years if our feet are not properly looked after! We ask a lot of our feet – they support us when standing, walking and running yet we pay them less attention than we do our face and hands!!
It is also important to choose shoes that are made of natural materials; e.g. leather is best with cotton or leather lining as these allow the feet to breathe and will conform to the shape of the individual foot. Man-made materials like plastic do not mould to the feet and do not allow the perspiration to evaporate, which makes them very uncomfortable to wear and could cause fungal problems like athlete’s foot, as the bacteria from the perspiration goes back into the skin and causes soreness, abrasions and other problems. The feet contain approximately 250,000 sweat glands, (more per square centimetre than any other part of the body), and release an eggcup full of perspiration each day!!!!!
Here at BEST FEET FIRST we stock only top quality brands, and have staff trained to the highest standard, four of whom are members of the Society of Shoe Fitters,
(e-mail info@shoefitters-uk.org for further information), so you can rest assured your children’s feet will be in good hands if you come to us. And remember, look after your own feet too, trim toenails straight across (not round into the corners as this could cause ingrown toenails), wash them every day in warm soapy water, dry them thoroughly and pamper them with moisturisers to avoid those dry patches. Keep them warm and exercise regularly to improve circulation. After all, the feet we have are….. FOR LIFE! (so give them a little TLC.)
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