Equipment

Because the mid-sole material of an athletic shoe takes a pounding and eventually loses its ability to provide your child's foot with adequate support or cushioning, experts, such as Dr. Michael Lowe, past President of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine, and long time team podiatrist of the NBA's Utah Jazz, recommend that athletic shoes be periodically replaced, even if the bottom sole shows no sign of excessive wear. Consider replacing your child's shoes according to the following schedule...

To determine if a child's shoes need to be replaced due to wear, you need to check the following...

Dr. Carol Frey, Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at UCLA and Chief of Foot and Ankle Surgery at West Coast Sports Performance in Manhattan Beach, California, says there are a number of factors for parents to consider when shopping for their children's athletic shoes.