|
You've come to know Health Works for our expertise in the area of orthopedic therapy…..orthotics, splints, knee bracing and shoes. With expansion in product lines we continue to increase our services to meet even the needs of the young ….
Announcing our New Arrival:
Footwear for newborns to 4 years that will promote the healthy development of feet.
Why is it that flat-feet amongst children and adults is higher in developed Nations? Studies suggest that this trend is due to the footwear provided to children during development. In fact, the latest in foot research suggests that children with the healthiest and best-developed feet are those who habitually go barefoot! Since it is impossible for children to go barefoot all of the time, it is important that children wear shoes such as Robeez that encourage proper foot development. Medical and child experts stress proper footwear during a baby's formative years. Soft-soled footwear that are lightweight and flexible should be worn to encourage toe gripping and arch formation. Lynn T. Staheli, Director of Orthopedics at Children's Hospital in Seattle provides the following recommendations on proper footwear for young developing feet. The shoes should be:
1. Flexible and allow free movement.
2. Flat with no heel elevation.
3. Tractive, having a sole friction similar to the bare foot of a child, like soft leather.
4. Lightweight and high enough to secure the shoe to the foot.
Exclusively available at HealthWorks Inc., ROBEEZ meet all of these requirements. ROBEEZ are great for the early stages of crawling when the child requires grip and of course during the child's first steps!
In a recent article the Canadian Pediatric Society stated that "the only purpose of footwear is to protect the child's feet and to offer grip on smooth surfaces. Keeping a baby out of shoes in warm, dry conditions is a good idea because walking barefoot develops good toe gripping and muscular strength." It is also very important that the child be able to feel his or her feet when first learning to walk in order to allow for the most sensory input from the nerves of the feet. Staheli concludes that the "shoes should not have arch supports or the stiff sides that were once deemed necessary to lend the foot support." Since the feet of young children are soft and pliable, abnormal pressure caused by stiff footwear may cause deformities such as flat-feet. Robeez are high quality, lightweight, soft-soled shoes that are designed to meet the latest in footwear research for young children. For more information on Robeez please surf http://www.robeez.com/.
Also available: off the shelf orthotics for youth foot sizes 10 to 3.
References: 1) Staheli L.T, The New York Times, August 14th, 1991 page C1 2) Canadian Pediatrics Society. Pediatrics and Child Health 1998; 3(5): 373, Reference No. CP98-02 .
|
