Footwear Selection Advice

We can provide shoe advice to all our customers, including occupational footwear. There are two groups who we target specifically: children and sports people. Young feet grow at an incredible rate and can deform very easily. They are particularly vulnerable because of the way they develop; at birth they have few bones but are made up mainly of cartilage. The bones do not form fully until between seven and 10-years-old.

Healthy Steps podiatrists are the experts at caring for children’s feet. We understand the strains and pressures placed on them by their active little owners and can advise you about choosing the right shoe for your child; what to look for in a shoe and what to avoid.

Sports people can also benefit from expert advice about their footwear, particularly runners, although our podiatrists also help participants in a wide range of sports including cricket, football, netball and triathlons.

It is essential for athletes to have the correct shoe for their foot type; otherwise they will suffer because of the high impact nature of their sport.

There are three foot types:

Neutral: people who have a normal gait and do not roll in or out too much.

Pronators: people who roll inwards. Pronation is a normal and useful motion, which helps your legs to absorb shock, but people who roll inwards excessively are at risk of over-pronation injuries.

Supinators: people who roll out too much, this is called supination. These runners are more prone to lateral ankle sprains and this foot type has less ability to absorb shock.

A neutral shoe is usually best for a neutral foot; a cushioned shoe for a supinated foot and a motion control shoe for a pronated foot.

Whatever your sport, our podiatrists can analyse your gait and recommend the best shoe for your foot type. It can be helpful to bring your old sport shoes with you to your podiatry appointment.