Has your child been diagnosed with a foot or leg condition and your medical professional prescribed a pair of Cricket orthotics by Cascade? Cricket orthotics are usually diagnosed for children who have low arches and are dealing with a mild to moderate degree of pronation or supination. This type of orthotic can place your child’s feet in a fully correctable position by providing additional arch support and heel stabilization. Nonetheless, to get the full benefits that the orthotics have to offer, they must be fitted in the correct pair of shoes. I’ll show you shortly the best shoes for Cricket orthotics based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.
My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes and Orthotics – A Decade of Experience
This is the perfect segway to brief you on my role in fitting children’s shoes. I have been working at a specialized children’s shoe store for over a decade, where we focus on helping children with “complicated” foot shapes, foot conditions, and leg conditions. This is one of the few shoe stores in the United States that is qualified to fit orthotics.
Many physical and occupational therapists refer children to the shoe store that I work for to be properly fitted for shoes, and depending on the degree of the child’s foot condition, orthotics as well. Over the years I became familiar with all different types of orthotic devices from full-length and 3/4 length orthotics, to braces such as SMOs and AFOs.
Note, cricket orthotics can do amazing things for your child’s foot posture and walking gait, as long as they are fitted in the correct pair of shoes. This orthotic is made of soft, thin, polyethylene plastic and has a footplate that extends over the toes. It takes up more space than most 3/4 and full-length orthotics, but less space compared to AFOs and SMOs.
Amazing Features of Cricket Orthotics – Improve Your Child’s Foot Posture!
In addition, cricket orthotics can help improve your child’s foot posture, walking gait, and stability, and this alignment improvement comes from a deep heel cup, well-defined plantar surface, and medial/ lateral forefoot containment in combination with a stable outer foundation.
Finding Shoes for Your Child’s Cricket Orthotics – It Takes Time and Experience!
Finding the correct pair of shoes for your child’s Cricket orthotics can be a frustrating and time-consuming experience, especially if you don’t know what shoe brands and shoe styles to try.
Most Common Mistakes Parents Make
I have noticed how most families allow their children to wear their orthotics in unsupportive shoes such as Vans, Converse, Nike, or Under Armour. While these are all well-known shoe brands, they manufacture shoes that are more fashionable than functional. Let me help you visualize what I mean by this. In the image below there is an orthotic fitted inside a pair of Nike shoes:
Now let’s see what happens when we fit that same orthotic inside a pair of the New Balance shoes that I recommend. Do you notice how the orthotic is sitting a lot deeper in the New Balance shoe compared to the Nike style?
I have also noticed that some families make the common mistake of assuming that once they find a shoe that is labeled as wide or extra wide, that shoe will automatically accommodate their child’s orthotics. There is another key feature that your kids’ shoes must provide: extra depth. I will expand on this shortly.
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Ideal for Fitting Cricket Orthotics?
1️⃣ Extra Depth: Let’s visualize what a difference a pair of shoes with extra depth can make when fitting an orthotic inside the shoes. Do you notice how much deeper the orthotic is fitting in the New Balance shoe style (image on the right) compared to the Nike one (image on the left)? When the orthotics fit deeply inside your child’s shoes that means that also your child’s feet will sit deeply inside the shoes, which can increase comfort and prevent heel slippage.
2️⃣ Round Toe-Boxes: The shoes should also come with a rounder toe-box to prevent the Cricket orthotic from poking a hole against the side or front part of the shoes. Do you notice how the New Balance shoe (grey) has a much rounder toe-box than the Nike shoe (grey and green)? Cricket orthotics have a full-length footplate made of plastic that might destroy the front part of the shoes if the shoes are not wide enough at the front.
3️⃣ Firm Heel Counters: The shoes must come with a firm heel counter to help the orthotic provide good ankle support. Shoes that come with a firm heel counter help strengthen and straighten your kids’ ankles. Let’s take a look at the difference between a shoe that provides a firm heel counter and one that doesn’t:
4️⃣ Substantial Outsoles: The shoes must provide a substantial outsole to hold the Cricket orthotic in place and reduce the impact that your child’s feet and legs take every time they become in contact with the ground. Let me show you the difference in support between one of the shoes I recommend and a different shoe:
The shoes I recommend also have removable insoles as well as laces or velcro closure. I usually recommend shoes with laces for children who wear orthotics as the laces can “hug” the child’s feet more effectively, which helps provide better support and stability and keep the orthotic in place.
Now let’s take a look at a list of the best shoes for Cricket orthotics. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Shoes for Cricket Orthotics – Supportive, Extra Deep, and Removable Insoles
Take a look at the description below each shoe to find out if it’s available in medium (M), wide (W), or extra wide (XW) widths. If a shoe is not available in wide or extra wide widths that means that specific shoe fits naturally wide.
You can also find additional information in the description of each shoe such as the amount of support the shoe provide, the type of closure (velcro or laces), and the size you should order to allow for the correct amount of growing room.
Toddler Shoe Sizes (0 to 10)
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- 100% leather made
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- 100% leather made
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Double velcro straps
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Adjustable double hook and loop closure
- Built-in multi-dimensional orthotic support
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Double velcro straps
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Extra depth and width for orthotics
- Rigid heel counter
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Breathable textile lining is effective in protecting your child’s feet from micro-organisms
- Hook and loop closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Breathable textile lining is effective in protecting your child’s feet from micro-organisms
- Hook and loop closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Available in extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- 100% Suede
- Hook and loop closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
Little and Big Kid Shoe Sizes (10.5 to 7)
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Leather and mesh upper
- Mesh collar and tongue are padded with foam for a comfortable fit
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Extra depth to accommodate orthotics, AFOS, and internal modifications
- Triple velcro straps
- Thermoplastic rigid heel counter
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Extra depth to accommodate orthotics, AFOS, and internal modifications
- Triple velcro straps
- Thermoplastic rigid heel counter
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- 100% Suede
- Hook and loop closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- Breathable textile lining is effective in protecting your child’s feet from micro-organisms
- Hook and loop closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Extra padding around the ankles
- Lace-up closure
- Rubber outsole provides excellent grip
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- NDurance rubber outsole technology provides superior durability in high-wear areas to help get more out of the shoes
- Lace-Up closure
- Non-marking outsole
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability and durability
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Reinforced toe cap for durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Durable leather upper
- Stability Web outsole technology provides added arch support
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- DynaSoft midsole cushioning
- Sporty textile and engineered mesh materials for breathable comfort and everyday durability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- DynaSoft midsole cushioning
- Sporty textile and engineered mesh materials for breathable comfort and everyday durability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
Don’t forget to remove the original insoles of the shoes before placing your child’s Cricket orthotics inside the shoes. If you fit the orthotic on top of the original insoles, you will raise your child’s feet and create discomfort as well as heel slippage.
Are You Unsure About What Shoe Size You Should Order for Your Child’s Orthotics?
I created a different free resource that will help you determine what shoe size you should order to accommodate your child’s orthotics:
How to Order the Correct Shoe Size for Your Child’s Orthotics – Follow These 3 Simple Steps
If you chose a shoe with velcro straps, make sure that your child pulls them tightly. If you chose a shoe with laces, there is a specific shoe technique that my co-worker who has over 20 years of shoe fitting experience taught me:
How to Tie Shoes with Orthotics – Stop Heel Slippage
Are There Any Alternatives to Cricket Orthotics?
I am not a medical professional, but I have fitted many orthotic devices through the years. Even though Cascade describes Cricket orthotics as being made from a soft plastic material, in my experience, this material is not soft, it’s kind of hard. Some children might have a hard time getting used to the hard plastic.
If your child’s having a hard time adjusting to the Cricket orthotics, you should ask your medical professional for an alternative. There is an orthotic called Chipmunk also made by Cascade that is made from a softer material (foam liner) and supports good alignment with soft, resilient contours.
Some children get downgraded from wearing SMOs or AFOs to Cricket orthotics. If this is the case with your child, then you are in luck as finding shoes for Cricket orthotics is a lot easier than finding shoes for SMOs/AFOs.
Contact us! Please don’t hesitate to reach out through the comments section or via e-mail if you are unsure about which specific shoe might work best for your child’s Cricket orthotics or if you have any other questions related to your child’s shoes.
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