Mum, dad, I can walk – how to choose your child’s first shoes?
Seeing children talking their first steps makes parents deliriously happy. It’s a sign that your child needs shoes. The first shoes are the most important in every child’s life because the proper growth of feet depends on them.
At this age your child’s feet are very delicate and susceptible to harmful factors such as wearing improper shoes. The younger your child is, the more important well-fitted shoes are. Badly-fitted shoes can seriously deform feet.
Below, you can find the basic features of proper shoes:
- Wide top strengthened by a tip – children’s feet are wide with characteristic fan-shaped toes. A spacious top ensures free foot positioning and unfettered toe movements.
- Shoe length – shoes should be longer 7-9 milimeters than the foot because children’s feet grow fast and move forward while walking.
- Shoes with an upper above the ankles, lace-up or velcro – children have difficulties in keeping balance. Lace-up and velcro shoes fit perfectly to every leg (plum or skinny), what making walking easier.
- An overlap that stiffens the rear part of a shoe – in fact it shouldn’t be stiff but springy, it should also keep children’s feet in the right place and prevent shoes from deforming.
- Flexible soles – the whole shoe should be flexible and soft, but soles have to bend easily in the place where children’s toes begin (more or less 2/3 of the shoe length measuring from the heel to the place where the toes begin). Hard soles make walking unnatural – children walk like ducks. Soles have to be light, springy and flexible.
- Materials used in production – shoes should be made of natural leather and high-quality textile materials that can absorb sweat easily and get rid of water vapour. They have to be hygienic too.
Beside the above features, it’s worth remembering about:
Author: BARTEK S.A. Consultations: Barbara Skrzyńska – anthropolog, Bożena Rajchel-Chyla – anthropolog, dr Wojciech Radło orthopaedist.
- Antibacterial and antimycosis inserts B-FRESH and Dry&Go that absorb sweat easily and protect feet against microorganisms. The inserts are like 0an inbuilt deodorant. Thanks to them shoes stay fresh for a long time. Moreover, feet are clean and safe all day long.
- Soft foam inserts fit perfectly to the anatomical foot profile. They give a feeling of softness and provide comfort. Soft foam has also been placed below the ankles to stabilise joints and prevent skin from rubbing off.
- Non-slip soles – prevent shoes from damage
- Reflective elements - they guarantee better visibility after dark up to 200 metres.
- Waterproof Sympatex Reflexion membranes – highly recommended in winter shoes. They are 100% waterproof, shoes are dry and maintain twice as much warmth (even 3,6ºC higher temperature).