Back to School Foot Care for Your Children
It’s almost that time—soon families in Middlesex and Monmouth County will be getting ready to send their children back to school. At Caring Podiatry, we want to help ensure that your child’s feet are in A+ condition for starting another busy year of academics and sports. Below are some areas to focus on.
Schedule a Podiatric Checkup
Now’s a good time to make an appointment at our Monroe Township (609-860-9111) or our Neptune (732-455-8700) offices, for a foot exam. This is particularly important if your child suffered a foot or ankle injury recently or they have a chronic foot problem such as flat feet ingrown toenails, or heel pain. Our podiatrists, Andrew Schmierer, Craig Shapero, and Mark Fillari will give your child a complete examination and may also analyze gait and perform any other necessary tests to fully assess the health of his or her feet.
Start Wearing Shoes
If your child has spent a large part of the summer going barefoot or wearing flip-flops, you’ll want to ease them back into regular sneakers or shoes a few weeks before school starts. The best shoes for young feet will have good arch support and this may prove uncomfortable initially for children who have been in flat shoes or no shoes all summer. Start with a few hours a day and work up to a full day to help prevent foot pain at the beginning of the school year. If your child still has trouble getting used to wearing shoes we are here to help.
Buy New Shoes
Chances are, your child will have outgrown the shoes they were wearing at the end of the last school year. Take your child shoe shopping and get their feet professionally measured. There should be about a thumb’s width between the longest toe and the end of the shoe. Have your child try on both shoes and take their time walking around the store to make sure they are comfortable.
Start a Healthy Foot Care Regimen
Back to school is a great time to start new habits. Help your child get into a simple routine of good foot care: wash feet daily with soap and water, always put on clean socks and check toenails weekly to see if they need trimming.
We wish all our families a great start to the school year. If you have questions about your child’s feet, don’t hesitate to contact us.
