The best running shoes for your kids are also the best running shoes for your wallet. Not very often do we get to say that and really mean it! Recent scientific studies tell us this is so and who am I to argue with science?
Turns out the more we make our feet work every day, the stronger they become. What does that have to do with your wallet? It means that when you choose to buy less expensive running shoes for your kids, as well as yourself, you are choosing shoes which tend to have less stabilizers, inserts, and great arch supports.
By having little or no support mechanisms in your running shoes mean more work for your feet. The twenty-six bones and dozens of tendons and muscles in our feet will only develop properly if allowed to work. An adolescent’s arches are still under development. Propping your kids’ feet up in more expensive running shoes, that often don’t have these attributes, may lead to muscle atrophy and fallen arches, according to Dr. Gerard Hartman, Ph.D.
The benefits of naturally strong feet are many and they last a lifetime.
- Strong arches make it possible to compete pain-free in sports that require a lot of running or jumping such as basketball, volleyball,football and soccer.
- Strong feet support good posture lowering the risk of back injury and chronic back pain.
- Strong feet provide a solid connection to the ground which can mean fewer accidents, twisted ankles and even broken hips in later years.
Inspire family members by choosing less expensive running shoes for yourself and get your own feet working.
- Go for walks or hikes together as a family.
- If you have a back yard, spend time with your kids playing barefoot Frisbee, badminton, or tag.
- Agree to a “no-shoes-on-in-the-house” pact.
So what if the kids bring their mp3 players on your hike? Go ahead and let them text their friends too. What do you care? If it gets you all moving – one foot in front of the other – it’s all good. So remember, the best running shoes for your kids don’t always have to be the most expensive.