The back-to-school rush is upon us. Amongst the mad rush for new school supplies, backpacks, and the elusive indestructible water bottle, back to school shoes are an important piece of equipment for the upcoming school year. Perhaps you’re shopping for indoor and outdoor shoes, uniform coordinated shoes, first day look shoes or just plain, cute shoes! For parents, the aesthetic certainly matters, but more importantly, the support and comfort both inside and outside of the classroom is key. Your BioPed team has you covered with 5 expert tips to help you navigate the demands of your kids, and the care of their growing feet as you embark on back-to-school shoe shopping.

Tip#1: Get Measured

Before you even begin to shop for shoes with your child, it’s best to get them professionally measured so you have an accurate shoe size to look for as a starting point. Knowing that their current footwear is too big or too small isn’t always the best measure to go by. Some kids like the feeling of their toes being cramped while others are used to wearing flippers that flop around their feet because you’ve always bought a size or two up. Kids feet can grow quickly at times; however, it is so important to make sure that the size and fit of the shoe is correct for your child. This will promote healthy bone growth and reduce the occurrence of blistering, calluses, redness, and discomfort. Ideally, you want to have your child measured on a Brannock device by a professional who will determine an accurate length and width of their foot.

Tip#2: Assess Key Areas of Support

We want our kids to be supported throughout the day to prevent soreness and pain in their feet and lower limbs. As active runners, jumpers, and climbers, kids are naturally curious to move. The fact that movement helps with memory retention and focus is a plus that they can benefit from in school, and properly fit shoes can help to encourage healthy movement. Supportive footwear helps kids feel secure and well-balanced when on the move.

Key Areas of Support in a Shoe

Firm Heel Counter – the back of the heel should be firm and sturdy to control the heel position in the shoe. You should not be able to bend the heel down to the interior of the shoe or make contact by squeezing the sides of the heel together.

Supportive Arch of the Shoe – This is not about how high it is inside the shoe. This support comes from the integrity of the midsole and the cushion versus strength and thickness of that material. Cushioning will help with shock absorption during high intensity activity, such as running and jumping, and the support/strength will keep them from moving freely in the shoe as their feet tend to be excessively flexible for growth. You should not be able to “wring out” the middle of the shoe like a dish cloth, or bend/fold the shoe in half.

Tip#3: Find the Appropriate Length for Fit and Growth

As parents or caregivers, it’s hard to watch our kids grow so fast. Their feet tend to rapidly outgrow their footwear. As a precaution, we tend to buy a size up from their proper fit. Although this may be tempting, it can be detrimental to overall foot health. Instead of overestimating, get them fitted in their correct size; their toe should be near the end without pressing or rubbing against it. However, in the case that you do want some extra comfort room for yourself or your child, up to a small finger’s width between their toe and the front of the shoe is acceptable (about half an inch). Shoes that fit too long promote trips and falls, and often are worn out before they are outgrown anyways. In the long run, it’s more important to have a proper fit with some wiggle room, than outfit a foot with something too long.

Tip#4: Fit for Width, not just Length

Most children have narrow feet for most of their childhood. Once they hit adolescence, that can change overnight. If your child is constantly busting through the sides of their shoes, usually the outside area near the baby toe, this could be an indication that they need a wider fit. On the contrary, when a shoe is too narrow, they may complain that their toes are being pinched together, but when you check the length, they still have room. If shoes are too wide, they may complain about blisters frequently, trip often, and slide around in the shoe. Most retailers should be able to order in a wider width if necessary, however if you want to be sure of the fit and the width, your local BioPed has you covered with access to New Balance children’s shoe sizing in medium and wide width.

Tip#5: Check the Fit Before you Buy

The biggest issue with children’s shoe fit, even when you do all the checks for them, is the way kids put their shoes on. If the foot is not properly positioned in the shoe, the fit checks will not be correct and possibly put your child in the wrong size.

When they first put the shoe on, have them bang the back of their heel on the ground a few times to make sure their heel sits right in the heel cup and is not leaving a gap between their foot and the back of the shoe.

Have them properly tie or fasten the shoe closed to reduce foot slippage inside the shoe.

Check the longest toe for length. Sometimes this may be the second or even third toe instead of the big toe. Ask them to wiggle all their toes to make sure you find the longest one and to see if they report any rubbing of the toes as they do so, which may indicate that the shoe is too tight.

Overall, getting measured and accurately checking the fit are the best ways to ensure your child’s back-to-school footwear is comfortable as well as stylish.

Written by:

Emily Newell

BioPed Canadian Certified Pedorthist

Finding the right shoe can be tough! And as a teacher you need something that fits and feels just right to get you through a long day on your feet. Today we will talk give you a few tips on how to find the right shoe and a few options to consider.

What To Look For:

Find the Right Fit!

First things first, shoe size. Fit means everything. When picking out shoes the “rule of thumb” is to have a fingernail’s width space between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. This will help to prevent your feet from pushing against the end of the shoe throughout the day and will allow for room for swelling of the feet. But don’t just think only about shoe length, think about width too! You don’t want pressure on the foot from the sides. Nobody wants bunions!

Firm Midsole

You can think of a great pair of shoes as the foundation for your body. And with any strong foundation, stability is key! And this applies to shoes too. When looking for shoes, do the “twist test”. This involves twisting the base of the shoe like wringing out a cloth, and if the base can twist/bend greatly there’s a good chance your foot will do that too. When putting orthotics into these types of shoes, this twisting can occur there too, making the orthotics less effective.

Heel Counter

Any great shoe should have a strong heel counter. This is the portion of your shoe that wraps around the back of your heel and works to control ankle motion during gait. One simple way to test the heel counter is to simply push down on the back of the shoe and see if it is collapsible. The heel counter should not buckle inwards. Control through the heel is essential especially when dealing with or preventing plantar fascia pain!

Rocker Sole

A rockered forefoot sole can be described as when the sole of the shoe is rounded upwards from the ball of the foot to the toes. This simple feature helps promote your foot to toe off during gait, which is important to help you move faster and take pressure off your forefoot. This feature can help with metatarsalgia, Morton’s neuroma and many other lower limb conditions. Most shoes will have this, but the best way to look for this is to push down on the very front tip of the shoe, and this should cause the shoe to quite literally rock forward.

When it comes to hiking, having the right footwear is essential for a comfortable and enjoyable experience on the trails. Often people think that in order to hike, you need hiking shoes. But, this isn’t always the case! Today, we’ll explore how regular running shoes can be a great option for those who love to hike.

While running shoes are primarily designed for running on pavement or other smooth surfaces, they can be used for hiking in certain situations. The suitability of regular running shoes for hiking largely depends on the difficulty of the terrain, the duration of the hike, and the individual’s preferences and requirements.

Why Use a Running Shoe Over a Hiking Shoe?

• Cushioning and comfort! Typically running shoes are built with plenty of cushioning to help absorb impact forces, which will come in handy when you are involved in long distance hikes. Often the comfortable fit and supportive features will only work in your favour when tackling those trails.
• Lightweight design. Often when compared to traditional hiking boots, a running shoe will feel as light as a feather. This can be highly advantageous when it comes to longer hikes where a heavier shoe may not be necessary and may even cause more fatigue.
• Versatility. While running shoes may not provide the same level of ankle support as hiking boots, they are often more versatile. A running shoe can be used both on trail and off trail, which favours a hiker who prefers a shoe that can do it all.

When to Choose a Running Shoe vs. a Hiking Shoe?

• Terrain: It is crucial to assess the terrain of the hiking trail before opting for running shoes. For more challenging or rugged terrains, such as rocky or steep trails, the added ankle support and durability of hiking boots may be necessary to prevent injuries.
• Lightweight design. Often when compared to traditional hiking boots, a running shoe will feel as light as a feather. This can be highly advantageous when it comes to longer hikes where a heavier shoe may not be necessary and may even cause more fatigue.
• Versatility. While running shoes may not provide the same level of ankle support as hiking boots, they are often more versatile. A running shoe can be used both on trail and off trail, which favours a hiker who prefers a shoe that can do it all.

Shoe Spotlight!

BioPed is a proud provider of orthopedic footwear to help you get back to doing more of what you love without the foot pain! We pride ourselves on offering a CORE selection of footwear – these are tried and tested shoe styles that we turn to for their fit and comfort. They are vetted by clinicians because of their orthopedic qualities. The New Balance (NB) 880 has been a member of our CORE program for several years, and continues to be one of our top-selling go to shoes for a variety of foot-related concerns.

We are currently on version 13 of the New Balance 880. This particular incarnation has some fantastic features that provide offloading and pedorthic support for your feet, offering comfort throughout the day. This shoe is truly for everyone, from avid to occasional walkers and runners to even those who use it as an indoor shoe option for work or home.

The new balance 880 footwear features:

Forefoot Rocker: The version 13 NB 880 has a 10 mm drop at the ball of the foot, creating a rocking motion as we toe-off during gait. This feature offloads the pressure from the metatarsal heads, or the ball of the foot, making it a great option for anyone with forefoot pain (metatarsalgia).

Neutral Cushion: This shoe is classified as a neutral shoe. This classification indicates the level of support throughout the shoe. A neutral shoe has the same level of support front to back and side-to-side; the support and density is consistent throughout the entirety of the midsole of the shoe. This makes the shoe a good option for many people, including those who wear orthotics.

Fresh Foam Technology: The NB 880 midsole is a double layer of their patented Fresh Foam technology. Basically, the shoe itself has a softer density midsole for improved comfort and cushion from heel to toe. The double stack increases durability and resilience. The cutouts on the outsole or tread under the heel also allow for increased cushion to be felt at points of high impact, offering stellar shock absorption.

The new balance 880 footwear fit guide:

Width Features: The New Balance 880 comes in a variety of widths for men and women, allowing it to accommodate all types of foot shape from narrow to wide. The shape of the toe box, which is rounder and flared, means that those with greater foot splay, bunions, bunionettes and generally wider forefoots, are able to fit comfortably in the shoe without increasing pressure on painful areas. Women’s widths run from 2A to 2E (narrow to wide widths) and men’s have options from B to 4E (regular to extra wide) widths.

Know your Length: This shoe model fits fairly true to size, however, some feel it fits slightly short. This occurs because the toe box itself narrows for the forefoot rocker, decreasing the depth at the front. When this happens, the toe can sometimes rub against the upper material at the top of the shoe before truly hitting the front, however, the discomfort is the same. It is common to increase the shoe size by half (from a 6 to a 6.5, for example) to comfortably accommodate longer toes.

Ideal Foot Type: This shoe is suitable for most foot types, especially when an orthotic is also providing increased support or control. However, a flexible pes planus (flat foot) or overpronation (rolling inward excessively) may have some difficulty with this model due to the soft cushion provided and roll over the sides of the shoe. This shoe provides increased shock absorption and room in the toe box for pes cavus (high arched) feet and supinators (rolling outward) as it distributes the wearer’s weight evenly throughout the neutral midsole.

Overall, the New Balance 880 is a fantastic orthopedic shoe geared to comfort, support and fitting your orthotics well. Take a look at a pair at the BioPed location nearest you at BioPed.com/locations and have our knowledgeable staff measure and size you for the perfect fit.

Don’t let flat feet hold you back from doing more! With proper support, the sky’s the limit!

Flat feet, also known as fallen arches or pes planus foot structure, is a condition where the arch on the inside edge of the foot (medial longitudinal arch) appears to be flat. Flat feet are one of the most common causes of lower limb pain and can actually cause back, hip and even knee pain! Read below to find out why and a couple things that could help address your flatfeet!

Overpronation!

Overpronation, or your foot rolling inwards too much or for too long, during gait is never good. But when it’s due to flat feet, it is one of the most common ways that issues can start to occur with the rest of the body. As the arch flattens more aggressively, the ligaments and muscles of the foot get weaker, leading to more severe overpronation. When the ankle starts to roll inwards, so does the knee and this can even translate up to the hip and lower back! These issues don’t cause pain immediately, but instead it occurs over a long period of time with pressure accumulating in the joints.

Shock absorption!

Your arches are the natural shock absorbers of your body. Think of them like the shocks on your car or bike. They function to help you manage the pressure you put through them. If they are not working properly, your car takes more wear and tear. The same holds true for your feet and body! People with a flatter foot structure tend to be less efficient at managing the pressure being put through the feet, which can create pressure that goes up into the knees, hips and even up to the lower back. Over time this pressure can lead to muscle or joint pain, arthritis, and other conditions.

What can help?

Shoes! A great shoe can truly make a difference when it comes to managing lower limb pain. Having a shoe that fits properly and provides support for your feet will set you on the path to success. A few things to look for in a great shoe are; a stiff heel counter to help control the foot, firm midsole to provide a great base for your foot and a rocker sole to help make your turn over of gait quicker and more effortless. And don’t forget about what you wear inside the house – having a great slipper is important at keeping away foot pain once work hours are over.

Orthotics! Orthotics can be a fantastic solution when it comes to supporting flat feet and helping to prevent injury. Orthotics help with flat feet by controlling for overpronation and increasing how efficient your feet are by managing the pressure you put through them. At BioPed we make everything on site and can get orthotics working with any shoe!

Come see us!

If you’re looking to take care of your feet and get rid of lower limb pain, please book an appointment today! At BioPed Footcare, whether its shoes, footwear, or bracing we are here for you. With our on-site lab there is nothing we can’t do! Meet with one of BioPed’s lower limb clinicians to see how you can keep those flat feet happy!