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Children’s Footwear
Measuring up for back to school
I
n the back to school rush at the start of each term, shoe shops all over their feet are vulnerable to injury and deformity due to ill-fitting or
the country are heaving with parents and children intent on buying inappropriate footwear.”
school shoes. Yet many school children are wearing shoes that are He says he has also seen many children with foot and lower limb pain,
either too small or unsuitable, despite the associated risks of deformity caused by wearing the wrong type of shoes, such as slip-on shoes without
and injury caused by such footwear. adequate heel support and no strap or lace, such as ballet pumps, worn
According to a recent YouGov survey for the Society of Chiropodists in schools where indoor shoes are now required.
and Podiatrists (SCP), more than three quarters of women and two thirds “We increasingly see osteoarthritis in teenagers’ toes that has been
of men suffer from foot problems, yet nearly half have never sought caused by such footwear. That affects how they walk, causing excess wear
medical advice about them. Experts agree that around 70% of foot and tear on the big joints. And, once you have toe deformities, they get
problems in adults can be attributed to ill-fitting shoes worn in childhood. worse with age,” says Watt.
Three years ago, research from the Glasgow Caledonian University Lack of support in children’s shoes often leads to long-term joint and
revealed that an estimated four out of postural problems, particularly if they
five children in the UK were wearing are overweight. A recent study of 200
the wrong shoe size, which may cause children aged 9 to 12 years, presented
them long-term damage. The to the Society of Podiatrists and
University found 83% of a random Chiropodists conference, revealed that
sample of children attending a local obese children had feet that were
primary school were wearing shoes that longer and wider than normal. Obese
were too small. children were also found to have
Gordon Watt, a consultant problems balancing and walked at a
paediatric podiatrist at Glasgow slower pace.
Caledonian University says that The Society of Shoe Fitters is
problems arising from ill-fitting shoes concerned about the number of
ranged from pressure marks and children’s shoes being purchased over
blisters to more worrying deformities the web adversely affecting feet and
and problems with gait and posture. foot health, leading to an increase in
Watt explains: “Children are born visits to GP’s and podiatrists in the
with relatively soft and flexible future: “There is no substitute for
cartilage, which gradually converts to
Start-rite
taking your children to a reputable
bone with age. As they are growing
Camille
shoe shop to see a qualified shoe fitter
18

FOOTWEAR TODAY

JANUARY 2010 www.footweartoday.co.uk
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