Back to School: Buying Shoes

School starts in Woodinville this week and that means it’s a good time to check children’s feet and see if they grew during the summer.

Even though the weather is warm, flip flops and other open-toed shoes may not be the best choice for school.

“Girls often want to wear shores that are cute, I know there are cute shoes out there, but they are not always appropriate for school,” said Sandie Tracy, Health Services manager of Northshore School District.

If a child is going to wear sandals to school, Tracy recommends they bring a pair of athletic shoes to school for use during physical education.

According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, there are three things to look for in a good shoe:

• A stiff heel, check by squeezing both sides of the heel, it should not collapse
• The toe of the shoes should bend with your child’s foot
• A shoe should never twist in the middle

To make sure a child (or teen) is getting the proper fit in a shoe. The APMA has these tips:

• Examine the shoe itself. It should have a firm heel counter (stiff material on either side of the heel), adequate cushioning of the insole, and a built-in arch. It should be flexible enough to bend where the foot bends—at the ball of the foot, not in the middle of the shoe.

• The child’s foot should be sized while he or she is standing up and fully weight-bearing.

• There should be about one-half inch of space (or a thumb’s width) between the tip of the toes and the end of the shoe. The child should be able to comfortably wiggle his or her toes in the shoe.

• Have the child walk around the store for more than just a few minutes wearing the shoe with a normal sock. Ask the child if he or she feels any pressure spots in the shoe. Feel the inside of the shoe for any staples or irregularities in the glue that could cause irritation. Examine where the inside stitching hits the foot. Look for signs of irritation on the foot after the shoe is worn.

• Shoes should not slip off at the heels. Children who tend to sprain their ankles will do better with high-top shoes or boots.

• Both feet should be measured, and if they are two different sizes, shoes should be chosen that fit the larger foot best.

For more information on fitting and choosing shoes, check the APMA website here.

There are a plenty of stores in town to buy shoes:

, 17955 Garden Way Ne, is having a buy on pair, get the second pair half off (some restrictions apply.

Eddie Bauer Outlet, 13910 Northeast 178th Place, has a limited number of shoes

Payless ShoeSource, 13930 NE 178th Place, is having a sale, and if you “friend” them on Facebook you can get an additional 20 percent off coupon.

Target, 13950 NE 178th Place, often has shoes on clearence

Ross For Less on Garden Way and TJ Maxx, 14051 NE Woodinville Duvall Road, have name brand shoes at discount prices, availability varies.

Cuzin Kids also has a selection of kids shoes.