Updated 18/1/2025.
The 2025 school year is just ahead of us, how quickly it comes around after the summer holidays!
Shoes are one of the more expensive items on the back-to-school list. And how do you know which one is best? Laces, Velcro or buckles, leather shoes or trainers? To help you select the right school shoes for your children’s growing feet, we’ve listed below how to choose the best footwear for growing feet.
Children’s feet are soft and flexible, and will change constantly as they grow. The structure and alignment of their feet is influenced by their activities and the shoes they wear which is why it’s so important to choose footwear that is supportive yet flexible.
With 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments, this intricate and highly developed structure needs great care to develop and form properly so that foot problems that begin in childhood can be avoided. Correctly-fitting shoes play an important role.
The characteristics of a good quality and supportive school shoe
A good quality and supportive school shoe will have the following features:
- A flexible and flat sole – pick up the shoe and bend back the sole, it needs to be flexible enough for your child to be able to push off on the shoes easily when they take a step. Hard soled shoes can be painful if they’ve had an active day on their feet, and children often won’t tell you, they’ll just put up with it.
- A padded and absorbent inner sole – some shoes have removable inner soles which have a dual benefit: you can remove them to wash them easily; and they provide additional padding for the feet. While this is not essential, a padded removable sole is ideal.
- Lots of toe room – a well-designed school shoe will be snug in the heel but have plenty of wiggle room for the toes, and fit well around the sides of the foot. The foot feels free to move but supportive at the same time, so your children can get on with their day without thinking about their feet.
- The right weight – the shoe should not be heavy which can be tiring and cause children to drag on their feet. Leather shoes can be heavier than other materials. Depending on the activity, choose a shoe that is lightweight but doesn’t impede your children’s activities.
- Consider materials – a leather shoe is more breathable than a synthetic one and will reduce sweating and odours. Leather also keeps feet drier on rainy days.
- Laces, Velcro or buckles are all fine. Avoid slip-on shoes and if the shoe fits well and is secure on the foot, choosing the right fastener depends on your child and what they prefer.
Adelaide has a several footwear shops that specialise in fitting school shoes. They provide a service to measure up your kid’s feet and advise on a selection of shoes best suited to their shape. Give us a call at the clinic if you’d like to find out more.
Book an appointment for your child at a Sanders Podiatry Clinic – Linden Park, Stirling and Mt Barker
At Sanders Podiatry, our family-friendly podiatrists are qualified and experienced to help your children’s feet develop properly. We work with children of all ages, from toddlers to teens, helping them develop good habits to look after their feet and addressing any concerns along the way.
Call us to make an appointment with one of our experienced podiatrists.
Sander Podiatry Adelaide – 08 8379 1456 (Greenhill Podiatry)
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