Back to School: Foot-tastic Tips for Kids' Happy Feet!

It's that time of year again!  Time to swap those sun hats for school caps and those flip-flops for school shoes.  Yep, you've guessed it – it's back-to-school season!  But, along with new pencils and notebooks, there’s something else we should be thinking about: our feet! 

Sweaty Situation:  

Did you know that our feet have about 250,000 sweat glands?  That’s A LOT!  As we dash from class to class, chasing our friends or playing football, our feet work super hard and can get really sweaty.  It’s like they’re having a little workout inside our shoes! 

But guess what?  Bacteria love sweaty, warm places.  If our shoes and socks are damp all the time, it becomes the perfect place for these little bacteria to throw a party.  And if they party too hard, it can lead to smelly feet or even athlete’s foot.  Now, that’s a party we don’t want an invite to!

Top Tip:  

Make sure to wear fresh socks every day and let your shoes dry out properly before wearing them again.  If you know you have a PE lesson, pack an extra pair of socks to change into afterwards.  Your feet will thank you!

The Shoe Must Fit:

Remember Cinderella?  She taught us one very important lesson: shoes need to fit just right! If our school shoes are too tight, too big, or just not the right shape for our feet, it can cause problems.  One such problem is ingrown toenails, which happens when the edge of our nail grows into the skin next to it. 

Top Tip:

When getting new school shoes, make sure there's a thumb's width of space between your longest toe and the end of the shoe.  This gives your feet enough space to move without squishing your toes.  And always walk around in the store before buying – if they're not comfy then, they won't be comfy in school!

Pool and PE Pitfalls:  

We all love diving into the pool during swim lessons or getting our groove on in PE.  But there's a sneaky thing called verrucas which can lurk around in such places.  Verrucas are little warts that love to live on feet, especially if the floors are wet. 

Top Tip:

To keep verrucas from making a home on your feet, always wear flip-flops or pool shoes in public showers, changing rooms, and around pools.  Think of it as your feet's armour against the cheeky verrucas!

Twisty Toes – In-toeing and Out-toeing

Some of us have feet that point inwards (in-toeing) also referred to as "pigeon toed" or outwards (out-toeing) This is sometimes accompanied with "bowed legs" when we walk.  It’s like our feet have their own special dance moves!  While it's usually nothing to worry about (we're all a bit unique, aren't we?), if you notice it a lot or if it makes walking tricky, We can give you tips or special insoles to make walking more comfortable.

Tip toe walking:

This is when we walk and stand mainly on our tip toes.  It is common for children aged between 10 and 18 months to walk on tip toes when we are learning to walk as it helps with our balance and this can continue up to the age of six or seven.  However, a small number of us may continue to walk this way as we get older.

It can be caused by many things, but normally resolves on its own.

In a Nutshell (or a Shoe!): 

Going back to school is super exciting, but let’s not forget about our fabulous feet.  They help us run, jump, dance, and play, so they deserve some top-notch care. 

1. Keep them fresh and dry.

2. Make sure your shoes fit perfectly.

3. Protect them in public wet areas.

And if you ever have worries about your feet, remember we are always here to help.  Just book in to see us today! 0115 9328832 We Fix Feet.

Cheers to happy feet and happy learning! 🦶📚🌟