Start the New School Year Off on the Right Foot
At Caring Podiatry, we know that our Monmouth and Middlesex County patients are beginning to think about back-to-school needs for their children, and we want to ensure good podiatric care is on the list. Below are five steps to ensure your child starts school with healthy feet.
Limit time spent in flip-flops and going barefoot. It’s hard to beat the convenience of slipping on flip-flops or wearing no shoes at all, but long term, this can have negative consequences for your child’s feet. Both of these summer foot choices lack arch support, which puts pressure on the plantar fascia—a long band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot. This, along with the general lack of shoe structure, can result in heel pain and discomfort come fall when shoes will once again be required.
Get them properly fitted for new school shoes. Most children will have outgrown their school shoes and sneakers from last year. Shop in person at a reputable shoe store and get your child’s feet measured. Shoes should have roomy toe boxes with about a thumb’s width of space between the longest toe and the front of the shoe. Don’t buy larger shoes hoping to get more mileage out of them—this leads to blisters and injuries.
Get moving now to prep for fall sports. If your child’s summer activities have consisted of long, sedentary hours on the phone, computer, or playing video games, now is the time to kick up the activity level. The recommendation for children and teens is at least one hour of physically active play or sports. Make it fun family time to bike or rollerblade each afternoon or do other physical activities together. It will help prevent injuries when sports practices start in the fall.
Re-check old injuries. Suppose your child had an ankle sprain, Sever’s, or other podiatric problem within the last year. In that case, it’s best to set up an appointment at our Monroe Township (609-860-9111) or Neptune (732-455-8700) offices so our podiatrists, Andrew Schmierer, Craig Shapero, and Mark Fillari can examine your child and check on the status of the injury.
Reinforce a good basic foot care regimen. Washing feet daily, wearing clean socks, and not sharing shoes with other children will help keep young feet healthy. Going to bed at a set time and preparing items needed for school the night before is an excellent time to remind your child of good basic foot care.
