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Kids Running Shoes… Are they worth it?
by Margot Manning
Buying shoes for kids can be a dilemma, simply because kids GROW at unpredictable rates. It is not a pleasant feeling to buy shoes only to find they are too small a couple of months later. Some children will actually wear out the materials of their shoes in three months by simply being active. There is little wonder that as parents, we may be reluctant to part with our money on kids footwear.

The problem, however, is that the inexpensive footwear can be a hidden trap. They are too stiff, don’t bend where your child’s foot should bend, are often padded in excess around the foot, won’t grab their feet snugly and has little to no cushioning. All of these issues are compounded if you try to buy one with enough ‘growing room’.

The most important feature required for children's feet, is that the point of flexion (or bend) in the shoe should be across the balls of their feet. This is the natural point of flexion and the site at which their body weight pivots over to move forward.

Real running shoes for children allow this movement very well. You can test this by holding the heel firmly in one hand and pushing against the toe with the other. Buying shoes too big can also create a stiffer forefoot despite good forefoot flexion. If the shoe is too big, the child’s foot sits further back where the shoe is stiffer and they are restricted in their toe-off motion.

The other advantage of good quality running shoes is that they usually minimize flexion through the arch area giving greater support to the foot. Flexion is particularly important for children who toe-in, lack co-ordination, have low muscle tone, roll in excessively, or simply complain of sore feet, heels or legs.

The next important feature that good quality shoes offer is an elevated heel. As children become more active they can become prone to childhood conditions such as Sever’s disease (heel pain). Sever’s disease occurs at the growth plate of the heel bone where the Achilles tendon attaches. It occurs predominantly in children who play a lot of jumping, kicking and running sports. The elevated heel offered in quality running shoes decreases the pull of the achilles tendon at this growth plate.

The elevated heel is created by the moulded cushioning compound, that is inclined from the toe to the heel. Cheaper shoes often use a ‘cupped’ outsole that appears to be cushioning and is moulded on a flatter platform base.

Another advantage of good quality running shoes is that there are a range of different types of support offered. There are both neutral and moderate stability shoes to help cater for individual needs.

The growth centres in the bones of kids feet are active until the ages of 13-15yrs. If they are sporting and active children, then it is worth paying for good quality shoes to help promote ideal growth patterns and to minimize any pains they may experience as they grow.

Margot is a podiatrist at Intraining Running Injury Clinic, which has clinic rooms based in the INTRAINING Running Centre, Park Rd Milton.  She has children at CHSS and is helping with the CHSS cross country training and the Move & Groove Program. You can contact margot by email margot@intraining.com.au, or catch her at school, if you have any queries.

Intraining Running Centre stocks a large range of running specific kids shoes.  Sizes are available from  13 to 7.  Talk to the staff at Intraining if would like to find more information and for a fitting.  You can also log onto the Intraining Running forum (http://www.intraining.com.au/forum/default.asp) if you have more specific questions. 

Kids Shoe Checklist

þ         Flexion point under the ball of foot

þ         Stiff Heel Counter

þ         EVA foam cushioning

þ         Laces  (not Velcro)

þ         Fits firmly around middle of foot

þ         Toes can wriggle at end of shoe

Getting Wise About Getting Well
Greg Scanlon

Imagine you were raised in Asia. Ingrained in your experience of the world would be the “wisdom of wellbeing.”

“If you have abundant energy and blood flowing freely throughout the body, then disease will have no place to reside.”

This is one of the basic tenets of Oriental Medicine. Good health not only relies on the presence of vitality. It requires the circulation of your essential resources to improve the way your body functions and, maintain a state of day to day wellbeing.

So, let’s break it down to the two parts of wellbeing.

“...abundant energy and blood...” means vitality, calmness, strength and resilience. You get these from eating and sleeping well, healthy relationships, community involvement, fulfilling goals and time well spent in natural environments. Having these you will benefit from a stronger immune system, resistance to illness, self confidence and a happier disposition.

However, you could have all the constitutional resources under the sun, but they would not do you any good unless you move them out of the areas where they are stored and spread them around your whole body.

“...energy and blood flowing freely...” requires movement. Exercise. Movement and exercise “lubricate” your body and strengthen the dynamic functions which nurture and protect you. Physical activity in a natural environment particularly, allows your body to assess and adjust to the climate. This improves your ability to maintain a healthy balance between your inner self and the external climate conditions. Better balance means a better ability to adapt to the constant change of conditions around you with less effort.

“Humankind lives between Heaven and Earth.”

And so, our personal relationship to both is enhanced by exercise and vital to health and wellbeing. I would encourage everyone to sweat a little, feel the wind in your hair, the sun on your face and the earth beneath your feet.

Around Chapel Hill there are some brilliant opportunities to stretch out and explore physically. Try the walking and mountain biking trails through the forests of Mt Cootha and Gap Creek. Our school has its own cycling club, riding around the beautiful river precincts of Brisbane 3 days a week (contact Blair at allsop@bigpond.net .au). Or try a paddle on the Brisbane River at the Indooroopilly Canoe Club.

The Move and Groove activity is a great way to get involved, practice the wisdom of the ages, get healthier and contribute to a great community cause. I hope you have a lot of fun doing it and get to discover a new partnership with this great planet we live on.

Greg Scanlon is the director of Access Natural Health and practices the Japanese acupuncture and massage skills he learnt in Japan, China and the US. He is a father of two and takes part in adventure race and multisport events in his spare time.