When choosing shoes, we always pay attention not only to its appearance, but above all to convenience: the comfort of walking and the state of health of our legs depend on this. The choice of children's shoes should be approached even more responsibly, because it is it that affects the formation of fragile children's feet.
Why is the choice of children's shoes so important?
In recent decades, various problems with feet have become more common in children. Take a closer look: there are many toddlers and teenagers on the streets who have uneven footwear, most often their feet are piled inside.
The aggravation of leg problems can be explained by the fact that previous generations of babies walked barefoot almost all the time, including on the street. Walking on an uneven surface: pebbles, grass, pits makes the arch of the foot work and the muscles strengthen. This laid-back continuous prevention provided healthy feet for generations.
In modern conditions, babies walk barefoot very rarely, often only on a perfectly flat floor. The weak muscles relax, stop working, and by about a year and a half you will notice that the baby’s feet begin to fall over.
There are many methods for preventing flat feet and other leg problems. This massage, and various preventive rugs, and therapeutic exercises. But, first of all, it is necessary to provide the child with the correct shoes, in which the foot will be fixed in the correct position. Children's orthopedic shoes have several distinctive features, the knowledge of which will help you choose the best pair for small legs.
What types of children's shoes are there?
In modern children's stores, one's eyes run wide: the choice of children's shoes is simply huge. Some mothers, having heard the phrase “orthopedic shoes for babies”, immediately wave it away, motivating their choice with the fact that the child has no problems with legs.
In fact, this kind of children's shoes performs only a preventive function and is shown to those children who have no noticeable problems with the setting of the foot. Orthopedic sandals or shoes will not only allow possible deviations to develop, but they will not be able to correct the situation in case of obvious problems.
If the baby clearly sets the legs incorrectly, you may notice unevenly worn shoes, the feet are piled in or out - urgent consultation of an orthopedic specialist is necessary.
The earlier a problem is identified in childhood, the more chances to get rid of it without a trace. In addition to medical procedures, the orthopedist will prescribe special medical and correctional shoes for the child. Such shoes, as a rule, are made to order on the recommendation of a doctor and after a cast from a child’s legs.
In order to prevent the development of serious pathologies, you must initially pay due attention to the prevention of problems with the feet.
What distinguishes orthopedic shoes?
Quality orthopedic sandals for children differ in a number of signs, which you must know to make the right choice of children's shoes.
The material of manufacture. Good baby shoes are completely made of genuine leather. This material is quite soft, allows air to pass through and allows the baby foot to breathe, but at the same time is very durable and holds its shape perfectly. As an exception, genuine leather is possible only in the inside of the shoe.
The presence of arch support. Children's orthopedic shoes are necessarily equipped with an arch support - a small compacted elevation on the inner arch of the foot. This shoe element allows you to fix the correct position of the arch of the foot and prevent the foot from becoming incorrect.
Hard back. To fix a leg in the correct position and not to allow it to tumble to the sides the rigid back helps. The heel should be tight and closed, even if the choice is summer shoes, such as orthopedic sandals for children.
Heel. Preventive shoes should be on a small heel, also called “Thomas's heel.” Such a heel is wide enough, its maximum height is one and a half centimeters. Due to the special design, it absorbs and reduces the load on the foot and spine.
Sufficient shoe height. In order to fix the legs, orthopedic shoes for babies should be high. Depending on the model, you can pick up a pair more or less high, but definitely not lower than the ankle bone.
How to choose the right shoes for the baby?
To find the best pair for your child, you need to pay time and attention to trying on shoes.
First of all, shoes or sandals should be in size. Many parents, in an attempt to save money, try to buy children's shoes with a large margin so that it is enough for more than one season. For orthopedic shoes, this technique is contraindicated - in this way you can seriously harm the legs of the child due to improper position of the foot on the arch support and heel. The maximum allowable length margin is 10 - 12 mm.
Orthopedic sandals for children are made with a lot of Velcro or buckle. This helps to regulate the completeness of the shoes and securely fix the shoes on the legs.
When picking up a new pair, put on shoes on the child. She should sit tight, the foot should be fixed. When walking, the heel and back should not be deformed and tumble down in any direction. The baby may be a little unusual at first, but after a few steps he should feel comfortable in the new shoes.
How to wear preventive shoes?
All shoes worn by a small child must meet the criteria for preventive orthopedic shoes. Such shoes have no terms of wearing. But it happens that for various reasons, a family can afford to buy only one pair of orthopedic leather shoes.
In this case, it should be the shoes in which the child spends the most time. Most often, parents purchase orthopedic sandals for children as replaceable shoes for kindergarten.
Where to buy?
Today, you can buy orthopedic shoes almost everywhere: at least that's what the advertising signs for stores promise.
But since such shoes take care of the health of your baby’s legs, it’s better to purchase them in certified medical stores.
Shoes presented in stores with medical equipment and orthopedic goods may not be as colorful and vibrant as those of well-known brands. However, you can be sure of compliance with all technologies in its production, as well as the quality of the goods.
Modern orthopedic sandals for a boy and a girl will differ in design and color, and will become not only comfortable, useful, but also beautiful for your child.
Problems with the feet are far from aesthetic in nature. Incorrect placement of the foot leads to an uneven load on the spine, and this, in turn, can provoke rapid fatigue of the legs and back, as well as disturbances in the blood circulation of the legs and posture. Therefore, from early childhood, it is necessary to pay sufficient attention to the prevention of flat feet and other problems with the feet. High-quality, correctly selected orthopedic shoes are the guarantee of your child’s healthy legs from early childhood and for many years!