The sole should bend in the ball area without much effort on your part. Right heel in shoe. The slight offset between the axis of the leg and the axis of the shoe puts stress on the shoe counter, hence the need for a firm and substantial shoe counter. A firm, substantial shoe counter is necessary to prevent the counter from becoming deformed. If it is flimsy, the slight offset of the heel cord and ankle will cause the counter to deviate inward and the hindfoot will not sit squarely on the shoe as it should.
Children tend to abuse their shoes.
A flimsy shoe counter will not be able to withstand this abuse. It will lose its support very quickly. A padded counter is also important. Run your finger along the inside of the shoe counter. Check to see if there is anything hard or irregular that could cause irritation to the back of the child s heel.