Orthotic for Sport Shoes – The Proven Method to Reduce Your Child’s Foot and Leg Pain!
Has your child been complaining about foot or leg pain after playing sports? When children play sports, they place a lot of stress on their feet and legs, often leading to pain and discomfort. I have fitted a specific orthotic for sport shoes that works wonders for children with foot or leg pain. This orthotic has proven to significantly reduce, and, in some cases, fully eliminate the pain that children experience when they play sports.
What Is An Orthotic?
An orthotic is a shoe insert that is specifically designed to provide cushioning, support, and stability, and to relieve pressure areas of the foot. The orthotic I describe in this article is ideal for children who play the following sports:
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Football
- Lacrosse
- Tennis
Do you want to know what all of these sports have in common? They all require your children to run faster, make sudden stops and quick direction changes, and jump and land hard on their feet.
If you’re pressed for time, you can jump directly to the selection of orthotics for sport shoes.
It’s important for your kids’ sport shoes to be supportive, but also lightweight and flexible at the same time, to prevent your child’s feet and legs from getting easily tired.
Before you try to fit an orthotic inside your kids’ sport shoes, you need to first make sure that their shoes are supporting their feet properly and are the correct size.
Is Your Child Wearing the Correct Types of Sport Shoes?
I have noticed that most child athletes who complain about foot and leg pain are wearing sport shoes that are too narrow for their feet. Most parents are not aware that sport shoes are available in wide (W) and extra wide widths (XW) do exist, and they play a key role in keeping your child’s feet healthy.
There are a few sport shoes capable of fitting children with wide or extra wide feet. I know which cleats are available in wide or extra wide widths for soccer, baseball, football, lacrosse, tennis, and basketball.
Once you are 100% sure that your child is wearing the correct type of sports shoes, you are ready to start looking for an orthotic to provide extra support for their feet and legs.
Is Your Child Dealing with Any of the Following Foot Conditions?
The most common reason why your children might need an orthotic to be fitted inside their sport shoes is due to a foot condition:
- Flat Feet
- High Arches
- Overpronation
- Rolled Ankles
- Posture Problems
- Heel Pain
The orthotic I describe in this article helps reduce the child’s foot and leg pain by providing additional support to targeted areas of the feet, and it also helps realign the child’s body posture as well as strengthen the muscles.
Before I show you the best orthotic for sport shoes, I want to first explain the 4 most important features that this orthotic provides and also demonstrate how to determine your child’s exact foot size from home.
What Makes the Orthotic I Recommend Effective for Sport Shoes?
1️⃣ The sport orthotic I recommend provides a deep heel cup and a built-in-arch support but has a slim-design that fits in most cleats and sport shoes. Most orthotics are not able to fit in sport shoes since they take too much space inside the shoes.
2️⃣ Cushioning gel pads in the heels and forefoot prevent your child from developing blisters and calluses. This extra support and cushioning greatly increases the child’s comfort level and prevents the orthotic from slipping/moving inside the shoes.
3️⃣ Reinforced for optimum flexibility in the mid foot.
4️⃣ Antimicrobial technology prevents the buildup of bacteria inside your kids’ shoes.
I only write reviews of shoes and orthotics that I have fitted before, so I can personally assess how well-made they are, the amount of support that they provide, and how well they fit. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
The Best Orthotic for Sport Shoes
Below you can find the best orthotic for sport shoes that I have fitted before and can fit in most sport shoes and cleats.
- Insole made by Superfeet
- Deep heel cups help position the heel to naturally absorb and soften impact from the ground
- Stabilizer cap acts as the base of the insole that supports the rearfoot
- They can be trimmed to fit your kids’ shoes
- Insole made by KidSole
- Medical grade Lightweight PU foam for active children with heel and arch problems
- Blue Poron grip pads located on the bottom of the insole prevent the insole from slipping/moving inside your child’s sport shoes
- Easy Trim-to-fit material allows you to easily customize size
Don’t Forget to Remove Your Child’s Original Shoe Insoles!
For this orthotic to fit properly inside your kids’ sport shoes, you need to make sure that you remove the original insoles. If you leave the original insoles and you fit the orthotic on top, you will raise your kids’ feet and give them the impression that their feet are coming out of the shoes. Failing to remove the original insoles will also cause the top of your child’s feet (instep) to rub against the top part of the shoes.
Keep in mind that the only way that your children will get the full benefits of the orthotic is if they are wearing the correct cleats in the correct size. This brings me to this next question: Are you 100% sure that you know your child’s exact foot size?
I always recommend that parents take their children to their trusted local children’s shoe store for fittings. However, many stores that provide fittings have been closing down, leading parents to purchase their kids’ shoes online. There is nothing wrong with purchasing shoes online, but it’s important to first determine your child’s exact foot size.
How to Retrieve Your Child’s Foot Length and Shape
If you want to determine your child’s exact foot length and whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet, then you may find it helpful to consult my virtual fitting resource demonstrating the simplest, yet most effective way to determine your child’s foot size from home.
The Best Sport Socks for Kids – Let’s Cushion and Support the Feet!
Sport socks play a key role in keeping your kids’ feet healthy, as they act as a barrier between your kids’ feet and the shoes.
The correct type of sock can be extremely effective in preventing blisters and calluses, since they come with extra padding and cushion for targeted areas of the feet. They also help prevent the buildup of bacteria inside the shoes.
There will be a lot of friction between your kids’ feet and the shoes. Therefore, your children must wear a pair of good socks to help keep their feet healthy. You can learn more about proper socks for soccer and basketball.
Please keep in mind that your child will be able to wear soccer socks for other sports such as baseball or football.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you ever have trouble finding a particular shoe or orthotic for your child’s feet. It doesn’t matter how narrow or wide your kids’ feet are, there is always at least one particular shoe style out there that will fit the shape of your child’s feet perfectly, and I will help you find it!
Have you tried this orthotic before? Has it worked well for your child’s feet? Please share your thoughts below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.
Are these better than SuperFeet? My child complains about foot and leg pain when playing soccer and I am not sure which orthotic to get.
Superfeet has an orthotic specifically designed for sport shoes as well. They both provide the same amount of support, but children tend to prefer the KidSole orthotic because it’s made of softer materials and it feels more comfortable to them.