The perfect fit: A ‘shoe-in’ for a great start to school
As the back-to-school rush begins, podiatry experts at the University of South Australia are encouraging parents to get their children’s school shoes professionally fitted, as new research confirms that ill-fitted footwear can significantly impede foot movement and comfort.
In a new study, researchers tested the effect of shoe size on foot motion and comfort among children aged 8 to 12 years, finding that shoes that were one size too small restricted the normal movement of the heel, arch and big toe joint during walking.
The study also confirmed that a comfortable shoe fit can be determined by a ‘rule of thumb’, where the wearer’s thumb width from their longest toe to the end of their shoe is an effective and accurate measure for comfortable fit. … [read more]
