With the growing popularity of soccer, some parents wonder what to purchase for a child with abnormal alignment - none of the styles are truly suitable. Soccer shoes have a flat plastic sole with soft leather upper. This provides a good ball and turf feel, but no intrinsic support. Cleats could also be added to this type of footwear to enhance traction. For the competitive player, custom foot orthoses help with alignment.
Basketball shoes can actually help a child with misalignment.
The design features a high-cut ankle, and some firmness medially, to reinforce the inside arch. If extra ankle stability is required, custom orthoses, elasticized ankle wraps, or plastic ankle stabilizers can help decrease injury rate. Platform shoes are in vogue again, especially with teens. Next time you watch someone walking in a pair, notice the action of the foot as it touches the ground. Platform shoes provide little shock absorption to the body, with subsequent back, hip, and knee displacement.