Best Ikiki Shoes for Kids with AFOs – Are They a Good Choice for Everyday Wear?

Has a friend or family member recommended Ikiki shoes for your child’s AFOs? Are you looking for a pair of shoes that are easy to get on and off but provide good support and stability at the same time? Ikiki shoes work great with AFOs as they are deep and open up widely, making it easy to slide your child’s feet and the AFOs inside the shoes. I will show you a list of the best Ikiki shoes for kids with AFOs based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.

Several families of children who wear AFOs love Ikiki shoes. The shoes come with fun designs, breathable fabric, a roomy fit, and a squeaker switch that encourages walking heel to toe (this switch can be turned on and off). The shoes are also affordable compared to other shoes for AFOs.

Kindly note that if you are in a rush you can go directly to a list of the best Ikiki shoes for kids with AFOs.

Are Ikiki Shoes a Good Choice for Kids Who Wear AFOs?

Yes, they definitely are! However, I suggest wearing these shoes as indoor shoes because they lack one important feature which is heel stabilization. The shoes don’t provide a firm heel counter (back part of the shoe), so for everyday wear, other shoes will provide your child with better support and stability.

Below is an image to help you better visualize where the heel counter of the shoe is located. When you press on that area of the shoe it should feel firm and sturdy. I always suggest shoes with firm heel counters as they help provide better heel and ankle support as well as heel stabilization.

This doesn’t mean that your child shouldn’t wear Ikiki shoes with his or her AFOs, I will just limit the wear to a maximum of 3 to 4 hours a day. They make a great pair of indoor shoes to have something easy to put on and off.

Main Advantages of Wearing Ikiki Shoes with AFOs

There are 4 key features that make Ikiki shoes ideal for children who wear AFOs:

1️⃣ Wider Openings: The shoes open up really wide, making it easy for parents and children to slide their feet inside the shoes with the AFOs.

2️⃣ Extra Depth: One of the main advantages of getting Ikiki shoes for AFOs is that you won’t have to get shoes too big to accommodate the AFOs. Shoes that provide extra depth allow the AFOs to sit deeply inside the shoes which increases your child’s comfort. In addition, deep shoes help prevent the top part of your child’s feet (instep) from rubbing against the top part of the shoes.

3️⃣ Rounder Toe-Boxes: Ikiki shoes provide rounder toe-boxes that help prevent your child’s toes from overlapping or rubbing against one another or the side of the shoes. This feature also helps prevent the front part of the AFO footplate from destroying the shoes.

4️⃣ Long Velcro Closure: Another advantage of using Ikiki shoes with your child’s AFOs is that the velcro straps usually go all the way across the shoe. This means that you won’t have to buy a velcro extension for the shoe.

Below you will find a list of the best Ikiki shoes for kids with AFOs. You should try fitting the AFOs with the original insoles of the shoes first. If you feel like the AFOs are pushing on the fabric of the shoe or are not sitting deeply inside the shoe, then I suggest removing the original insoles of the shoes.

Best Ikiki Shoes for AFOs

Keep in mind that Ikikis are not available in half sizes so I suggest rounding up. 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.

How effective these shoes will be for your child’s AFOs directly depends on the type of AFO your child wears. It’s a fact that some AFOs take up more space than others.

Remember that if you provide your child with shoes that are too big your child’s AFOs become virtually worthless.

What Shoe Size Should You Order?

You need to order a half-size bigger from the end of the AFO footplate. To be more precise, there should be some space between the end of the AFO footplate and the end of the shoes —approximately 3/16 of an inch or 0.4 centimeters— which translates to a half-shoe size larger.

How to Order the Correct Shoe Size for Your Child’s AFOs?

I came up with a system to help those families who are unsure about what shoe size they need to order for their child’s AFOs. My method shouldn’t take you longer than a minute to do, and you will have the peace of mind that you are ordering the correct shoe size for your child’s AFOs.

All you need to follow my method is a measuring tape to measure your child’s AFOs. I will then input those measurements in the Brannock Device (you can do this yourself if you have one at home), and this will retrieve the shoe size that you need to order.

➡️ Step Number 1: Measure Your Child’s AFO Footplate

Measure your child’s AFO brace from the back of the heel up to the front part of the brace as shown in the image below. You can either use a measuring tape or a ruler. Make note of that measurement and proceed to step number 2.

➡️ Step Number 2: Measure Your Child’s Foot Length

Measure your child’s feet while standing, as on weight-bearing the foot becomes longer. 

Measure both feet up to the tip of your child’s longest toe. It’s imperative that you measure both feet since there is always one foot that is bigger than the other. Keep in mind that your child’s longest toe doesn’t necessarily have to be the big toe — it may in fact be the second or even the third toe.

Make a note of that measurement in centimeters or inches or email me the image showing the measurements (such as you see below) to avoid confusion with the measurements.

➡️ Step 3: Email Your Child’s Measurements 

Email me your child’s AFO and foot measurements so I can tell you exactly what shoe size you should order for your child. Once I receive your child’s measurements I will respond in less than 24 hours:

[email protected]

I also wanted to mention that Ikiki allows families to pick each shoe and size individually. Some children need mismatched shoe sizes as one shoe may need to be larger to fit the AFOs.

Let me know in the comment section below if you have found a specific shoe brand or specific shoe style that has worked well for your child’s AFOs. I am sure other families will benefit from your experiences.