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Foot Fun for the Week: Give a Fingerful of Love

I know that most of you parents have been paying attention to your school-age child's feet in the past few months, as you most likely had to purchase new shoes for back-to-school. Ah, what a lovely process - we won't regale you with stories of meltdowns in the shoe store when I patiently explained to my five-year-old that heels are simply not practical (or safe) for young girls.

It's probably been a month since you last checked, but I'm going to encourage you to do it today or tomorrow. It's time to give your child a fingerful of love!

When your child is wearing his shoes, bend over and feel the front of your child's foot and its relationship to the shoe. Is it pushing against the front? Is there a little space between your finger and the end of the toes? It's absolutely amazing how quickly the feet can grow - they do not often grow slow and steady, but rather seemingly overnight, especially since we parents don't often think to check whether our child's foot has grown.

I did this recently, for a pair of shoes I purchased in August for my daughter - and believe it or not, her toes were touching! Yikes. The budget-minded part of me protested, "No fair! Those were supposed to last until January!" But, Good Mommy took over and we went out to get her another pair of shoes with some wiggle room.

Now, the reason this is so important is that kids usually don't complain that their shoes are tight, until they reach the point of no return - i.e. they can't even get the dang shoes on. This is far too late for them to be wearing the shoes. Once the front of the toes are rubbing against the front of the shoe, all sorts of damage can occur -from blisters to calluses and beyond.

That's why it's important to give your child a fingerful of love every month. I'll be happy to remind you!

Foot Fun for the week - parents, do a finger check on kids' shoes - they can get too small overnite. Do it today!

Dr. Manolian Weighs in on Toe Walking

Recently, a parent was concerned about her child's toe walking tendencies. The child was being evaluated by a pediatrician, and the behavior fell within the normal range at this age (3 years). We thought it might be helpful to get a podiatrist's opinion as well. Here is Dr. Manolian's response on the topic:

Toe walking is very common in young children and early walkers. Most children usually grow out of it. One of the causes can be due to a tight Achilles tendon. It is always important to seek medical evaluation from a physician who can determine the root cause. They may suggest exercise or physical therapy if there is a physical cause for the toe walking.

In addition to stretching exercises, many children who toe walk benefit from arch supports, or comfort insoles, that will produce plantar (bottom of the foot) contact, which tends to enhance normal walking patterns. If the child resists use, try to introduce the insoles gradually.

Toe walking is common in young children. Arch supports help by giving plantar/bottom of foot contact, which enhances normal walking patterns

Dr. Manolian Shares Advice for Young Runners

Dr. Manolian, co-founder of Ashton Industries and one of the inventors of our beloved Arch Angels, recently was interviewed for an article about foot health for young marathon runners, in anticipation of the upcoming Boston Marathon in April.

Click this link to see the full article

Let us know if you want to learn more about any of the topics covered in the article, and I'll get Dr. Manolian to write a guest spot.

Happy Trails!

Springtime in New England almost - although they're threatening snow this weekend, so we're not out of the woods yet. But, of course, my hot-blooded 5-year-old has already donned her new flip-flops outside. What's a mother do to? This is not my favorite time of year, when the shoes become hazardous and do nothing to su...pport tender little arches. I'm on a mission this year to find the best, most supportive sandals for little feet. My first two candidates are KEEN Sunports and Crocs Kids' Althens with the back-strap. I'll keep you posted. Do you have a favorite sandal for little feet?