Evaluating Your Soccer Shoes

With the start to soccer season, you want to make sure your child has the proper shoe fit. An improper fitting shoe may cause foot and toenail problems.

To evaluate your athlete's shoe fit follow these easy steps.

 Have your child stand straight up. Check to make sure the tips of the toes are not protruding the end of the shoe. There should be a small amount of room between the end of the longest toe and the tip of the shoe. Check that the foot is not hanging over the edge of the sole of the cleat. If there is, instability can lead to a sprain or stress injury.

If this is the case, you may either want to get a different cleat or remove the inlay and replace it with a more stable orthotic device.

You may need to rip out the current inlay within the soccer cleat by using a straight edged screwdriver.  Be sure to remove any unwanted foam material that is still attached.  You will then be able to insert the new orthotic without crowding the foot and causing any new problems.

You also want to check that the heel counter is still firm.  When shoes are worn for a period of time and subjected to the elements of rain and mud, the heel counter may weaken and no longer be supportive.  A weak heel counter enables the foot to exagerate the motions that may intensify conditions such as calcaneal apophysitis, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis. 

Also, set the shoe on a level surface and make sure the upper portion of the shoe is still firmly attached to the sole and that the shoe doesn't have an inward or outward lean to it.  Check the cleats for escessive wear.  If your child is having any metatarsal pain, make sure that there are no cleats protruding upward through the sole of the shoe causing an irritaion involving the metatarsal area.

Finally, make sure the tongue is well cushioned and centered underneath the laces.  Soccer players like to optimally strike the ball with the instep of their feet.  So if the tongue is no longer providing the cushioning they need, it may cause irritation to the back of the foot over a period of time.

To learn more about orthodic devices, please visit our website at http://www.advancedfootcareclinic.com/