Soccer Cleats for Kids Who Wear Orthotics – Removable Insoles, Extra Deep, and Rounder Toe-Boxes!

Children with foot conditions who experience foot or leg pain usually have to wear orthotics inside their shoes. If your child loves to play soccer and is dealing with pain from a specific foot condition such as flat feet, rolled ankles, or overpronation, your medical professional likely suggested wearing orthotics. Let me show you a list of the best soccer cleats for kids who wear orthotics.

Should Children Who Play Soccer Wear Sports Insoles Inside Their Cleats?

One common question parents have is whether their children should wear orthotics when playing sports. This is a question that your medical professional can answer, but in my experience, children who experience foot or leg pain can benefit from wearing orthotics inside their sports shoes.

For example, soccer involves long periods of running and quick direction changes that lead soccer players to have a high incidence of both overuse and acute injuries. When children play soccer they put an enormous amount of stress on their feet and legs, and wearing orthotics can minimize the impact that their feet take when they come in contact with the ground.

I help children who are referred by their physical and occupational therapists to the shoe store that I work for to be fitted for the correct types of shoes and orthotics. The children’s shoe store that I work for focuses in helping children with foot conditions such as flat feet, rolled ankles, low muscle tone, hypermobility, etc.

If you’re pressed for time, you can jump directly to the selection of soccer cleats that can fit orthotics.

The Challenges of Finding Soccer Cleats that Fit Orthotics

The biggest challenge that parents face is finding a soccer cleat that can accommodate their child’s insoles/orthotics since they take extra space inside the shoes.

The issue is that soccer cleats fit snugly to ensure an optimal touch and feel on the ball, but this makes it a lot harder to fit an orthotic inside the cleats.

What Makes the Cleats I Recommend Effective for Fitting Orthotics?

There are three key features that the soccer cleats I recommend provide that makes them ideal for fitting an orthotic:

1️⃣ Extra Deep: The soccer cleats that I recommend provide extra depth, which allows the orthotic to sit deeply inside the shoes. This is a very important feature as we don’t want to raise your kids’ feet as this can create discomfort and compromise your child’s stability.

Take a look at the image below to better visualize what I mean by soccer cleats that provide extra depth:

2️⃣ Rounder Toe-Box: This feature helps prevent the orthotic from poking a hole in the front part of the shoes. Most soccer cleats provide very narrow and pointy toe-boxes, but the style I recommend provides a rounder one. Take a look at the image below for better visualization purposes:

3️⃣ Removable Insoles: The cleats must come with removable insoles to allow for extra space for the orthotics. If you fit your kids’ orthotics on top of the original insoles you will raise your kids’ feet.

Where Can You Find Soccer Cleats with Extra Depth/Round Toe-Boxes?

It’s hard to find soccer cleats that provide these two features as cleats don’t come labeled as “extra deep” or with “round toe-boxes”. The good news is that I know exactly which cleats provide these two features from having fitted them before.

Before I show you a list of the best soccer cleats for kids who wear orthotics I want to make sure that you know your child’s exact foot length and shape.

You won’t be able to order the correct shoe size online if you don’t know what your child’s exact foot length is to begin with.

Are You 100% Sure of Your Child’s Foot Length and Shape?

Keep in mind that even the most expensive soccer shoe on the market will not make your child a better player but proper fit and comfort will. 

Unfortunately, most specialized children’s shoe stores have been closing down (even before the pandemic), and most families don’t know where to take their children to be properly fitted for shoes. 

I created a free resource that will help you determine your child’s exact foot length and whether your child has a high instep.

Now that you know your child’s exact foot length and shape let’s take a look at the best soccer cleats for kids who wear orthotics. 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.

Best Soccer Cleats for Kids Who Wear Orthotics

Some of the soccer cleats I recommend below are available in wide (W) and extra wide (X-Wide) widths so make sure that you choose the correct width. Keep in mind that orthotics can take up a lot of extra space inside the shoes so it’s always better to go wider and deeper instead of going bigger.

These cleats also provide a firm heel counter that will support your child’s feet and help hold the orthotic in place.

What Type of Orthotic Does Your Child Wear?

If your child wears a full-length orthotic I suggest that you remove the original insoles of the soccer cleats before placing your child’s orthotics. However, if your child happens to wear a 3/4 length orthotic you can leave the original insoles of the shoes.

This is an example of how a full-length orthotic looks like:

This is an example of how a 3/4 length orthotic looks like:

If you are unsure about what soccer cleat size to order or if you have any other questions do not hesitate to contact me:

[email protected]

You can also find a list of the most supportive sport insoles for children in a different resource I created.

How to Tie Your Kids’ Soccer Cleats to Prevent Heel Slippage

I suggest that you apply the following shoe lacing technique to better secure and support your child’s heels and ankles.

Make sure that you provide your child with a pair of well-padded socks to prevent the formation of blisters.

Final Thoughts About the Best Soccer Cleats for Orthotics

The correct type of orthotic/insole can help treat and prevent your child’s overpronation, improve balance, as well as decrease the incidence of plantar fasciitis and other foot injuries.

Let me know in the comment section below if you have found a specific soccer cleat that has worked well with your child’s orthotics. I am sure other families will benefit from reading about your experiences.