I love how Kelly illustrates exactly what we at Tonka Shoe Box, talk with parents about when they are purchasing shoes for their kids. I had time to listen to a few of her other videos, and she has a lot of good advice about the importance of proper shoes to achieve healthier feet.
SOLE DESTROYING
Urgent warning issued by expert about kids’ shoes which can lead to side effects like hammertoes – but it can be avoided
AN expert has shared an urgent warning for parents about the shoes their kids are wearing – and the potential damage it could be causing them.
Kelly is a shoe expert and shares advice on healthier feet on social media via her profile @barefootshoeguide.
And in one of her most recent posts, Kelly revealed that just one small mistake in children’s shoes could even lead to hammertoes and bunions.
And she said it’s all to do with the tip of the shoe and how wide they are.
Kelly, who uploaded the parenting advice video to TikTok, showed a little boy’s feet, with the sole of his trainer style shoe cut out so she could explain where it was going wrong.
Instead of having plenty of space, his toes appeared squished into the shoe, and were even curling to find space.
This, Kelly argued, is a clear sign that all is not well.
Holding them up for inspection, she explained: “These shoes are squishing his toes.”
“It’s not the overall width that’s the problem – but the fact that this toe box tapers and squishes his toes together.
“The widest part of the foot should be the toes, so the shoe should be wide in the toes too.”
She later added: “A narrow toe box can be a contributing factor to things like bunions and hammertoes as they get older and alter the way they walk.”
Bunions are bony lumps that form on the sides of the feet.
A hammertoe is when the second toe is slightly bent at the middle joint and therefore resembles a hammer.
Both are treatable but, in some circumstances, can lead to foot surgery.
Luckily, though, it’s easily solved, as Kelly then pointed out what mums and dads should be looking out for to ensure their kids are comfortable and healthy.
Lifting the lid on her checklist, she continued: “A healthy shoe for kids will allow them to maintain a natural, healthy toe splay where all these little toes have enough room to move and wiggle.
“The big toe should be able to stay straight and not get pushed in.”
The video, which has been liked almost 400k times and saved 30k times, attracted lots of attention from concerned parents.