Shoes for school and fitting tips for your children:

     As you seek to find the right fitting shoe for your children as they get ready for going back to school, here are some more tips on finding that great shoe.

     When you get to the shoe store, make sure you have their feet measured while they’re standing.  This will guarantee a correct measurement which won’t be the case if their feet are measured as they sit down.  When you find the right size, have your child try on both of the shoes, and if one foot is bigger than the other, get the size that will fit the larger foot.  Click here for more tips on getting the right fit.  To ensure that these shoes are the right fit and truly comfortable, have your child walk around for a couple minutes in the shoes.  Keep a close eye as they walk around.  If the heel slips off, the shoes are too big.  If they’re toes or any other part of their foot rubs on a part of the shoe, you don’t want to get those shoes because blisters could form on those parts of their feet.

     Since children’s feet grow so fast and because of  how active they are, it’s probable that you’ll become a shoe expert as you’ll be purchasing enough to know what to look for and what works for your kids.  If their shoes are worn out, don’t let them continue wearing them as they can cause injuries to your child’s growing feet.  And lastly – no two people have the same foot – hand me down shoes are a bad idea.  

     If you have any questions, or would like to have a professional fitting for your child or have questions regarding the type of shoes we would recommend, please don’t hesitate to call us at 713-467-8886 or visit our website at http://www.houstonfootspecialists.com/.

School is Coming – Where are your Children’s Shoes?

     It’s been a long hot summer and everyone is happy to have sandals but with the approach of school it is time to turn your attention towards fall and start gearing your children up for school. Maybe your kids have the shoes from last year and maybe they still fit, but that is usually not the case. The fall brings new sports, which usually require new shoes and then the new back to school outfits that will also require a few new pairs of shoes for the children.

     As parents do back to school shopping, it’s probable that new shoes for little (or big) Tommy or Jennifer are likely on the shopping list.  So, as you go to find new shoes for your children, you might be wondering what the best shoes are and how do you find them?  Who do you ask to get the right information?  The people working at the shoe store?  Possibly, but you need to remember that they may have just started that job and might not be well informed and may not know what a good quality children’s shoe should look like.  So here are some helpful tips to help as you start gearing up for school and what to look for.

     First of all, shopping for a children’s shoe is much like shopping for your own shoes.  You want to make sure that the shoes are comfortable, supportive and durable.  Take the shoe and see if you can bend them in half to where the tip of the shoe touches the heel of the shoe.  If you can, that’s not a good pair to invest in, put those shoes back!  You want the shoes to bend in the front half, but not that much.  With a proper amount of bending, the shoes will follow the movement of your feet.  Also make sure that the sole of the shoe is durable, not too cushiony.  That way, your child’s feet will be supported and the sole won’t wear out fast.

     Keep your eye out for the next blog, as it will have more tips to help you in buying your child’s shoes.  If you have any questions or just need help in finding the right shoe for your children, don’t hesitate to call us at 713-467-8886 or visit our website at http://www.houstonfootspecialists.com/.  We want your children’s feet to be pain free this school year!

Football and Painful Feet:

     As this football season gets off to a weird start due to the holdout, the injuries are already starting to roll in.  Now, we all know that football and injuries go hand in hand.  After all, football is not a wimpy sport, but doesn’t it seem like there’s more injuries this season already?  I mean, the Detroit Loins already have three rookies with injuries, and two of them are foot related!  Nick Fairley, their top pick in the first round, is out for at least a few weeks because of a fracture in his foot.  And their two second-rounder's are out too.  Titus Young is out with a hamstring injury and Mike Leshoure is totally out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon.  Jacoby Jones with the Houston Texans has sprained an ankle, like many in the NFL already.  These are just a few examples in a huge pool of players that are starting the season off with problems.  With football continuing full steam ahead, the injuries will more than likely continue to pile up every week.

     But why does it seem that there are so many injuries this year?  At least more than average?  Some might say it’s just been one of those years.  One year might be better than another with injuries.  That might be true, but I tend to think that it has to do with the lock out.  I think a large portion of the injured NFL players didn’t work to keep themselves in shape over the holdout.  The same thing happens to people everyday.  People don’t exercise regularly for one reason or another and then take on a task that ends up being too much strain for their body, and the results are – injuries. 

    What about you?  Have you enjoyed the lazy days of summer and spent less time with training? You can prevent this. Obviously, exercise regularly!  I’m not suggesting you have to join a gym and go at least three or four times a week.  We’re all busy, and it would be hard to demand so much.  But how about trying walking a mile every other day?  This could mean just going to a mall and doing some fun window shopping while getting a little exercise!  You can always take the stairs instead of the elevator or take a walk down on the beach or nearby park.  You can even get someone to come with you to talk to and have a great time. That way you’ll both be exercising and spending quality time together.  Try to come up with fun ways to exercise so you won’t hate it but will actually enjoy getting away from the television and spending some time out of the house.  This will help you avoid those pesky injuries that can be lurking just around the next corner.