Adaptive Sandals for Kids Who Wear AFOs or SMOs

Does your child wear AFOs or SMOs and you can’t seem to find a single pair of sandals that can accommodate the braces? These orthotic devices provide support and correct alignment for children with various foot conditions, but standard sandals usually often don’t accommodate them well. Whether your child must wear braces during the summer depends on the degree of the child’s foot condition and whether the child is experiencing foot or leg pain. So, I have put together a list of the best adaptive sandals for kids who wear AFOs or SMOs for those children who MUST wear their braces with their sandals.

My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes and Orthotics

After having tested many different shoe brands and styles at the shoe store where I work, I have learned which sandals work best for children who wear AFOs and SMOs. Keep in mind that certain sandals that might work well for certain children who wear AFOs/SMOs might not work well for others for the simple fact that not all braces are made the same way. Adaptive shoes for kids with easy-to-use closures, such as Velcro or adjustable straps, can boost your child’s confidence and foster a sense of independence.

Key Features to Look for in Adaptive Sandals

1️⃣ Multiple Points of Adjustability: Look for sandals with multiple adjustable straps to ensure a secure and customized fit. This is crucial for accommodating the extra bulk of AFOs or SMOs and for providing stability. I usually recommend sandals that can be adjusted in three different places—back, front, and top—as seen in the image below:

2️⃣ Substantial Outsoles Provide a Stable Base of Support: This is a key feature as the sandals must provide supportive outsoles to help keep the brace in place and attenuate the impact that your kids’ feet take when they come in contact with the ground.

3️⃣ Extra Depth: This key feature allows the child’s ankle-foot brace to fit deeply and comfortably inside the sandals. The deeper the sandals are, the better they can accommodate the AFOs and increase your child’s overall comfort. Let me help you visualize the difference between one sandal that provides extra depth versus one that doesn’t. Do you notice how the sandal on the right is a lot deeper compared to the sandal on the left?

4️⃣ Oversized Openings: Sandals with wide openings make it easier to slide the foot in and out, accommodating the additional space needed for orthotic devices. This feature also simplifies the process for children who are learning to put on their own shoes.

Are the Sandals that I Recommend Orthopedic or Regular Sandals?

Most of the sandals that I recommend are your regular everyday sandals that simply do a better job accommodating AFOs and SMOs. However, you will notice that some of the sandals that I recommend are orthopedic. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.

Orthotic Friendly Sandals for Kids Who Wear AFOs or SMOs

Keep in mind that the effectiveness of these sandals in accommodating your children’s ankle-foot brace directly depends on which specific AFO or SMO your child is wearing. With that said, these sandals have worked well for many families, so I hope they work well for your family too! Remember that your medical professional is the one who should tell you whether it is absolutely necessary for your child to wear the braces (AFOS/SMOS) with the sandals.

Adaptive sandals are specifically designed to fit over AFOs and SMOs. They provide the extra room and adjustable features necessary to ensure a comfortable fit. Unlike regular sandals, which may cause discomfort or pressure points, adaptive sandals are crafted to offer ample space and support where it’s needed most.

Be Careful About Getting the Sandals Overly Large

My goal has always been to fit children who wear AFOs or SMOs in shoes that are not longer than a whole size bigger than their current foot size. However, in certain cases, I may try a shoe that is a whole and a half size bigger than the child’s current foot size. With that in mind, I have never fitted a child’s AFOs or SMOs in a shoe that was bigger than a whole size and a half of the child’s current foot size as their shoes would be too large and no longer fit or function properly.

I recommend that parents follow this guideline and not purchase shoes that are two full shoe sizes larger than their child’s current foot size to accommodate their child’s AFOs or SMOs. If the shoes can only fit when they are two or more sizes larger than your child’s actual foot size, they are not the right shoe!

Find Out What Sandal Size You Should Order Online

I know how frustrating it can be to order shoes in multiple sizes and have to return them all. That is the reason why I created a virtual shoe fitting service that will help you retrieve your child’s shoe size from home. In that resource you will find out whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. I also be able to determine whether your child has a high instep or not.

Please note that finding the right shoe size for a child who wears AFOs or SMOs takes a to of trial and error. My goal is for you to order the shoes in two different sizes and keep the one that fits.

Are the Velcro Straps of the Sandals Not Long Enough?

Depending on the size of your child’s ankle foot brace you might have to add a velcro extension to the sandals. This affordable velcro extension may work well with your child’s shoes: Velcro Extension

Can Your Child’s AFOs/SMOS and Sandals Get Wet?

This is a question that your medical professional should be able to answer, but I have seen that getting the braces wet can cause the padding to peel away. If your medical professional recommends that your child wear the sandals without the AFOs you should take a look at a different resource I created where I provide a list of supportive sandals.

Adaptive Sneakers for Children Who Wear AFOs

I have created several free resources for families of children who wear AFOs. This specific one describes the best everyday sneakers that provide extra depth to accommodate foot braces. If you are having a hard time finding a specific pair of shoes for your child’s AFOs or SMOs you can ask your questions in the comments section below or send me an email:

fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com

Adaptive Sandals for Kids Who Wear AFOs or SMOs – Watch Video

In this video, we take a closer look at which are the best sandals for kids who wear AFOs or SMOs. You will be able to better visualize what features the sandals must provide to accommodate braces and how to make sure that your child gets the full support and stability of the braces when wearing them with sandals.

Throughout the video, I provide practical tips on selecting the right sandals that have features like extra depth, supportive outsoles, and multiple adjustable straps, which can make fitting orthotics easier.

AFOs and SMOs can be life-changing for children, offering them the support needed to walk more comfortably and safely. However, finding the right footwear to fit over these devices can be challenging, as standard shoes often lack the necessary space and adjustability.