Step Back into School!

Summer is a time to wear whatever you want on your feet and just relax and be a kid. Most children run around with no socks and shoes! Kids with braces are no exception! A lot of our patients wear their braces for school, therefore when they are home for the summer, they do not always get into the habit of regular wear. We highly advise our patients to continue to wear their braces in the summer so that their contractures do not worsen and regress over the summer months. Sometimes when children transition back to school and get back into a routine, wearing braces and shoes can cause discomfort and the children’s legs and feet can get achy and sore. Ensuring your children have properly fitting braces and footwear can help set them up for success and limit any pain or discomfort they may go through. 

Here are some tips and tricks to ensure comfort for your children: 

• Properly fitting shoes – Remove the insert in the shoe to check proper fit. 
• When you put shoes on your child, ensure there is about ½” at the end of the longest toe. This does not necessarily mean the big toe, it could be any of the toes.
• The foot should not hang over the footbed (insert) as that means the foot is squished in the shoe. Place your child’s foot on top of the insert – if any part of the foot is over the footbed, the shoe is too narrow
• Check the size of the brace on the child BEFORE sending them to school 
• Before sending your child to school, where they will wear the braces full time, break the braces in at home and wear them for a few full days to ensure no blisters, red marks or irritations. Ensuring the foot does not hang over the plastic edge with no sores will allow your child to focus on their school work and not endure unnecessary discomfort.
• Socks 
• We recommend each child wears socks in their shoes regardless if they are wearing a brace or not. Socks provide temperature and moisture control, and a layer of protection between the shoe and the feet. This can help limit friction and prevent blisters from developing.

We are here to help you with your child’s back to school needs. Having properly fitting shoes and braces will make a world of a difference with this transition back to school. If you need to get new braces, please contact us and we will try to get you in as soon as we can. You can reach us via phone, email or social media!

 

The Custom Orthotics Team (519) 850-4721 | office@customorthoticsoflondon.com | @cool_bracing