Skip to content

Cart

Your cart is empty

Article: How to keep your kid's feet healthy

How to keep your kid's feet healthy

How to keep your kid's feet healthy

With the upcoming back-to-school season in both in-person and at-home situations, it's very often to buy sneakers for the kids to give them some comfort. However, we are committing a big mistake that directly affects the health of their feet. Stay with us to learn more about it.


The main issue is that we fit our children every day with athletic shoes. A study conducted by the University of Jaen in Andalucia, Spain, showed a few years ago that using sports shoes modifies the tread pattern in minors between 3 and 16 years old, altering the foot's position towards less healthy postures from a biomechanical point of view.


Photo by Amanda Belec on Unsplash

Here are the most important findings of the research:

  • Age, sex, and wearing athletic footwear affect the footprint patterns during running from early age to adolescence.
  • At preschool ages, the prevalence of heel strike is much lower than in adolescence. It happens similarly to adults.
  • Between the ages of 3 and 6 years, 46% of the children presented a delayed-type of contact with the ground in their stride, as they supported the heel before the rest of the sole. In adolescents, this percentage rises to 92%.
  • The deterioration of the footstep increases with age, so the use of sports shoes is considered the main reason for this alteration.


Photo by Ben Weber on Unsplash

Some practical tips to take action!:

  1. Avoid the use of sports shoes and go for footwear that supports your feet but without excessive pressure or compression, as this is essential to prevent the appearance of blisters or rubbing.

  2. It should be breathable footwear made of quality materials, not plastic ones that don't help transpiration.

  3. Choose flexible footwear, so the foot can make movements when walking that help us avoid overloads or other injuries.

  4. Children between 3 and 16 years of age walk barefoot as long as possible, as this helps their footprint pattern to remain for a longer time.

  5. Find the way to prevail the most natural and, therefore, healthiest walking pattern.

  6. In an adult, the tread pattern may now be delicate, and if we were to run barefoot, we would have a high risk of injury.

  7. And please always keep in mind that not all footwear is suitable for all children. The needs of younger children are not the same as those of older ones. For example, at the beach, you can wear closed-toe fabric shoes or leather sandals and caged flat sandals in areas such as swimming pools.

We hope this information is helpful so we can always strive to assist you in taking care of your family's health from head to toe.! Have a great week, and we look forward to seeing you in our next article.

Blog posts

The differences between athletes foot and nail fungal and how to treat them
athlete's foot

The differences between athletes foot and nail fungal and how to treat them

Athlete's foot and nail fungus are two common fungal infections that affect the feet. While they share some similarities, they are not the same condition. In this blog, we'll explore the difference...

Read more
How do you easily prevent dry feet?
feet

How do you easily prevent dry feet?

As we age, our skin becomes drier and less elastic, making it more susceptible to cracking and dryness. The feet are particularly vulnerable to dryness because they bear the weight of our body and ...

Read more
What do podiatrists treat?
athlete's foot

What do podiatrists treat?

Podiatrists are highly qualified healthcare professionals who are able to identify problems with the feet and legs and offer appropriate solutions. This article gives you more information about pod...

Read more
Why are your child's feet so stinky?
baby

Why are your child's feet so stinky?

If your child's feet smell unpleasant, we explain why and how you might be able to solve it. In this way, this common childhood problem will no longer be embarrassing for the little ones. Let's beg...

Read more
How to get rid of plantar fasciitis pain
foot problems

How to get rid of plantar fasciitis pain

Feeling discomfort or foot pain is a fairly common complaint with many different causes. Excessive physical activity, poor stride, improper footwear, or disorders such as plantar fasciitis may be b...

Read more
Heading out for an adventure? 10 foot care tips before walking or hiking
foot problems

Heading out for an adventure? 10 foot care tips before walking or hiking

Doing some exercise has become crucial these days, and the fact is that it not only improves our physical condition but also stimulates our mental health. Here we will explore everything you might ...

Read more
Guide for taking care of your feet's health
foot problems

Guide for taking care of your feet's health

Did you know that a person takes, on average, 10,000 steps per day, and about 3 million steps per year? Each step can put two to three times the force of your body weight on your feet. In other wor...

Read more
Do you wear the same pair of shoes every day?  4 reasons to stop doing this

Do you wear the same pair of shoes every day? 4 reasons to stop doing this

We all have a pair of shoes or sneakers that we love to wear almost every day, either because they are the most comfortable, the most beautiful, they go with everything, or simply because they are ...

Read more
Myths and facts of ingrown toenails
foot problems

Myths and facts of ingrown toenails

Ingrown toenails are a common foot condition, and they're caused by factors of congenital origin, meaning those inherent to the person, or by factors related to lifestyle and nail care. However, th...

Read more

Read more

Soft hands tips and balms!

Soft hands tips and balms!

Hello Imperial Feet friends! Today we will pay tribute to our hands, one of the best tools we got. Several of our customers have asked us: "Can I use your products on my hands too?" The answer is: ...

Read more
Is it good or bad to wear someone else's shoes?

Is it good or bad to wear someone else's shoes?

How often do friends borrow each other's shoes? Or the older child's shoes now become the younger ones? Or a relative gives you a pair of shoes that no longer fit? In this article, we show you how ...

Read more