|
One of the most important yet most abused parts of the human body are the feet. Feet are designed to take body weight and give mobility essential to quality of life. Whilst vast amounts of money are spent in educating people to look after themselves nutritionally and physically, little effort is made to educate them on the importance of foot-health.
Feet are often crammed into the most unsuitably shaped shoes (often made of plastic), and the only time they are given a thought is when they hurt. There is no doubt that from birth to early teens, feet are at their most vulnerable; in fact there are 26 bones in the foot, and they do not complete ossifying (growing) until around the age of eighteen!
Shoe fitters and Chiropodists spend the majority of their time trying to correct damage and ease discomfort which could have been avoided if shoes had been correctly fitted when purchased.
When does my child need its first pair of shoes?"
The simplest answer is "when the child is walking most of the day by itself and wants to walk outside". At that time the child needs a pair of shoes to protect its feet. This can be between seven months and two years.
Type of shoe/Materials should be natural ones.
Cotton and leather linings and leather uppers are porous and they ensure that moisture is absorbed and allowed to escape, keeping the feet dry avoiding irritating complaints such as Athletes Foot. Leather is also the only material to conform to the shape of the foot and stay there, thus making the best possible fit. This is why shoes should never be passed down to another child!
Children's feet grow erratically in fits and starts during infancy and feet can grow by a half size in a matter of weeks. Having bought the shoes it is advisable to have them checked after eight weeks to see if they still fit. Admittedly this time in the child's development can be an expensive one! However this is money well spent, don't be tempted to make shoes last longer or revert to badly made self-fitted footwear, as your investment in the future will pay dividends!
Keeping feet healthy
Whatever your age, keep your feet clean and dry! Always dry thoroughly between your toes to avoid fungal infections and irritation. Cut toe nails straight across, Don’t allow toe nails to grow too long as they will damage hosiery and rub on your shoe uppers.
|
