Affordable Sandals for Kids Who Wear AFOs or SMOs – Wider Opening and Extra Depth!

Are you looking for affordable sandals to accommodate your child’s AFOs (ankle-foot orthoses) or SMOs (supramalleolar orthoses)? Finding the right pair of water shoes or sandals that accommodate ankle foot orthotics can be challenging for parents. I have been fitting children’s shoes and orthotics for many years, and based on my years of shoe fitting experience I have put together a list of the most affordable sandals for kids who wear AFOs or SMOs.

Are There Specific Shoe Brands that Work Better Than Others?

While some parents may recommend your child try Crocs and others recommend Stride Rite, Teva, Surestep, or Keen, keep in mind that what works for one child who wears AFOs does not always work for another. Your child will likely try on multiple pairs of shoes when first picking out their sandals, so don’t give up if a certain shoe brand is not working for them. My goal is to make things easier for you in finding the best sandals for your child through a list of affordable sandals/water shoes that can accommodate an ankle foot brace.

Should Children Wear Sandals with Their AFOs/SMOs?

Whether or not your child needs to wear his or her brace during the summer usually depends on the degree of your child’s foot condition and how stable your child is when walking or running around. This is a question that your medical professional should be able to answer.

So, when it comes to summer shoes you should consult your medical professional to see whether or not your child absolutely needs to wear ankle braces when going to the beach or pool. I mention this because if your child is stable enough they are likely able to go to the beach for a couple of hours without wearing their AFOs or SMOs.

Should the Sandals Be Orthopedic?

Not necessarily, but I have already created a resource for parents who are interested in buying a pair of orthopedic sandals to accommodate their child’s AFOs or SMOs, but keep in mind that orthopedic sandals can range anywhere from $100 to $125.

Knowing that $100 can be a lot for families to invest in a pair of seasonal shoes, I have created a list of the most effective and affordable sandals for children who wear AFOs or SMOs.

What Makes the Affordable Sandals I Recommend Effective for AFOs/SMOs?

There are a few sandals designed with more height and longer straps, which are ideal shoe features for children who wear ankle foot braces. Below are the 3 most important features that the sandals I recommend provide:

1️⃣ Oversized Openings: This feature will allow parents to easily slide their child’s AFOs/SMOs inside the sandals. I usually recommend sandals that can be adjusted in 3 different places—back, front, and top of the shoe—as seen in the image below:

2️⃣ Stable Base of Support: This feature helps keep their foot brace in place:

3️⃣ Extra Depth: This key feature allows the child’s ankle foot brace to fit deeply and comfortably inside their sandals:

Below you can find my recommended list of the most affordable sandals for kids who wear AFOs or SMOs. 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.

Affordable Sandals for Kids Who Wear AFOs or SMOs – Multiple Points of Adjustability

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 they are wearing.

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

Are You Unsure of What Sandal Size to Order?

I usually fit children who wear ankle braces in shoes that are 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 children’s foot size as their shoes would be too large and no longer fit or function properly.

I recommend that parents follow this virtual resource and not purchase shoes that are larger than a whole and a half size 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!

Get in Touch a Personalized Suggestion

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any further questions or are having trouble finding a pair of sandals to accommodate your child’s AFOs/SMOs:

fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com

What Are the Best Sneakers for Kids Who Wear AFOs?

If you also need a pair of everyday sneakers for your child’s AFOs I also got you covered in a different article I wrote.

Have you found a specific sandal style or brand that has worked well in accommodating your child’s ankle foot brace? Let us know in the comments below so other families can benefit from your experiences.