COMFORT AND SAFETY TRUMPS CHEAP DESIGN IN NEW CHILDREN’S FOOTWEAR

While many health-conscious adults often take the time to ensure their own pair is well taken care of, the feet of young children are often not high on the priority list for parents. But now, a growing amount of companies are boasting foot products for children that focus less on flashy cartoon character adornment and more on protective aspects such as flexibility and durability – making it imperative that parents pay attention to what’s on their child’s feet.

“Many common foot ailments first present themselves during childhood,” said American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) President Ross Taubman, DPM. “These problems, which can begin subtly, often last an entire lifetime unless parents choose to find the right footwear for children. It is extremely satisfying to see large numbers of the footwear industry becoming proactive in encouraging children’s foot health.”

Many children rarely complain about foot pain. Problems, if ignored, can lead to foot ailments such as in-toeing, plantar fasciitis and tendonitis. From the first year of life – one of the most critical in foot development – and onward, children regularly encounter a variety of obstacles that can be detrimental to foot health.

Produced by the American Podiatric Medical Association
http://www.apma.org