Stride Rite Children’s Group is dedicating the month of April to children’s foot health and awareness. According to the APMA, nearly 78 percent of Americans have experienced foot problems as a result of wearing uncomfortable or ill-fitting shoes during childhood.
“We are excited to support Stride Rite in helping to educate parents about foot development,” said Matthew G. Garoufalis, DPM, president of APMA. “From the early years of life, we have found it is incredibly important to provide the feet with a solid foundation to prevent problems later in life.”
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With almost 95 years of making quality shoes offering both fit and fashion, Stride Rite is committed to educating parents and grandparents about the importance of proper footwear for a child’s lifelong well-being. “At Stride Rite, we know that the most critical foot development occurs in the first seven years of life, and we are enthusiastic about our principle that fit matters,” said Sharon John, Stride Rite Children’s Group President. “As Stride Rite continues to partner with APMA, it is very clear that there needs to be more education for parents about the importance of finding the rite fitting shoe when children are young to avoid difficult foot health problems later in life.”
Stride Rite is proud to continue its partnership with APMA, the leading professional organization in the field of podiatric medicine and surgery. Stride Rite has received the APMA Seal of Acceptance for its Sensory Response Technology (SRT) and Crib & Crawl Collections (Pre-Walkers, Early Walkers, and Walkers) and the Stride Rite Fit Training Program.
Stride Rite and APMA would like to help ensure that parents are able to find the “rite” shoes for their child with some helpful tips below:
Make sure to see a professional, such as a Stride Rite fit specialist, trained in fitting shoes for your infant, toddler or young child in grade school.
Have your child’s feet measured every 2-3 months through the toddler years, then every 3-4 months through grade school.
Shoes should never need “breaking in.” Shoes should be comfortable from the beginning. Since a small child wont be able to tell you if a shoe is comfortable, observe your child walking around in the shoes for longer than a few minutes. Then, check each foot to make certain there are no irritation marks.
Make sure the shoe isnt too heavy. A heavy shoe can make your child walk irregularly, preventing the development of a normal walking pattern.
Surprisingly, arch support is not important for the smallest children. Infants and toddlers have flat feet, made of cartilage, so they do not start developing arches until their early preschool years.
If a child complains of foot pain or discomfort, schedule a check-up with your local pediatric podiatrist.
The Stride Rite Children’s Group is part of the Lifestyle Group of Wolverine World Wide.
