The Best Socks for AFOS – Seamless, Breathable, and Durable!

Has your child developed blisters or red spots from wearing AFOs with their shoes? Have you been looking for a pair of comfortable socks that your children can wear with their AFOs? I am going to show you a selection of the best socks for AFOs that are seamless, soft, and tall enough to prevent the AFO plastic and strapping to rub against your child’s skin.

Children who wear AFOs with their shoes already have enough to deal with trying to adjust to how the AFOs feel, and the last thing that you want is for your children to have to worry about the socks not feeling right.

Certain socks are made specifically for children who need to wear ankle foot orthosis (AFOs) in their shoes, and these socks help provide your child with protection and comfort under their orthotics.

Socks play an important role when it comes to keeping your children’s feet healthy, especially if your children need to wear a pair of AFOs with their shoes. I have helped a large number of children who have developed blisters and red spots from wearing their AFOs with the wrong type of socks. There are only certain socks that are long enough to cover the length of the brace to provide protection and comfort to your child’s feet.

If you want your children to be comfortable while wearing their foot or leg braces you must provide them with the correct type of socks. It is a fact that most children dislike socks with seams since they might rub and cause irritation.

Pro Tip: If you’re pressed for time you can jump directly to the selection of socks for AFOs.

I will provide you with a selection of children’s socks that are seamless, soft, durable, wick perspiration, and are also tall enough to cover the length of the AFO. Always make sure that your kids’ socks are tall enough to prevent the AFO’s plastic and strapping to rub against your child’s skin:

Before I show you the best socks for AFOs, I want to first show you what features these socks provide and how to figure out your child’s correct sock size.

The Best Socks for AFOs – The 5 Most Important Features!

For your child to be able to feel comfortable wearing his/her AFOs, the socks must provide the following 5 important features:

1️⃣ 100% Seamless: There is a myriad number of socks out there that claim to manufacture truly seamless socks, but they actually come with a flat or hand-linked seam across the toes. These will still cause irritation to many children. The socks I describe below are 100% free of seams.

Photo Courtesy of SmartKnit, a brand of Knit-Rite, LLC

2️⃣ Moisture Wicking: This feature helps prevent your child’s feet from sweating excessively by allowing your kids’ feet to breathe. Wicking fibers help keep your kids’ feet and legs comfortably cool and prevent foot odor.

3️⃣ Exceptional Softness: The socks are made from super-soft materials to keep your kids’ feet comfortable.

4️⃣ Non-Binding Halo Top: This feature eliminates irritating indentions, and also reduces slippage on the legs.

5️⃣ Various Lengths: These socks are available in various lengths which allow children to fold them over the AFO brace.

It’s important to note that children won’t get most of the benefits that these socks have to offer if you don’t provide them with the correct sock size. Socks that are too long will make your children feel uncomfortable since the extra material will bunch up below your kids’ feet. On the other hand, socks that are too short will cramp your kids’ toes and make them overlap and rub against one another.

There is a simple method I follow to make sure that children end up wearing the correct sock size.

How to Figure Out Your Child’s Correct Sock Size – Let’s Find Out!

The most effective way to figure out your child’s exact sock size is by buying them based on your child’s shoe size.

Most sock packages come with confusing labels that read “sock size” or “age guidelines”. To figure out your child’s correct sock size you must always refer to the label that reads “fits shoe size” in the sock tags. This is the most effective way to find your child’s correct sock size. Take a look at the image below for clarification:

Now that you know how to figure out your child’s exact sock size and what features your kids’ socks must provide to be able to work well with your child’s AFOs, you are ready to take a look at a selection of the best socks for AFOs. 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.

The Best Socks for AFOs 

While these socks tend to be on the higher end price-wise, they will last your kids a long time and they hold up well in the wash.

Most parents are hesitant to pay that kind of price for their kids’ socks. However, once they try them, they realize that they are the only socks that work properly with their kids’ AFOs. They will keep your child’s feet comfortable while preventing blisters and sores.

With that said, I understand that investing $20 in a pair of socks is not in the budget for many families, so do not hesitate to contact me and I will help you find an alternative type of socks:

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How to Figure Out What Sock Size You Need to Order?

The chart below will help you figure out your child’s correct sock size:

Smartknit-socks-size-chart

These socks are made from ultra-soft materials and a design that involves a non-binding Halo Top, which eliminates irritating indentions, as well as reduces slippage on the legs.

Some of the greatest features that these socks provide are that they fit as a second layer of skin and provide exceptional softness and wick perspiration.

Several parents have told me how their kids never wore a more comfortable pair of socks, and how other socks used to leave red marks on their kids’ feet and make their feet sweat and smellThese socks will also prevent your children from getting red cracked sore skin on their feet as well.

Most parents who have children who wear AFOS in their shoes will tell you how these socks are a must. These socks are also extremely effective for kids with sensitive feet who complain about feeling bumps and lumps when wearing socks.

Photo Courtesy of SmartKnit, a brand of Knit-Rite, LLC

Socks for AFOs – Parents and Grandparents Reviews!

I have put together some of the most important reviews parents and grandparents have written about these socks.

” Worth Every Penny!”

I have a granddaughter who wears braces that go almost all the way up to her knees. This is my 4th time ordering these socks. Even though these socks are more expensive than regular socks, I keep purchasing the same style again and again, since anything that helps my granddaughter’s brace be more comfortable is worth every penny to me.

“Great Fit and Comfort!”

I love that these socks are made out of excellent quality and hold up well. They eliminate creases under my child’s brace and are long enough to fold over the top so the brace does not rub anywhere on his skin. They wick away the moisture which allows to keep his feet dry and eliminate rashes that he used to have. These are the best socks for children who need to wear a brace. I wish the socks were not so expensive, but I guess that is a small price to pay for his comfort since he has to wear his braces all day and night every day and night.

“Game-Changing!”

These socks are game-changers! My daughter kept removing her night leg braces because of sock irritation. Now she says that she loves how these socks feel so I already ordered a second set and have a feeling we will be lifelong customers.

“The Best Socks for AFOs!”

We have an intellectually disabled child who needs to wear his AFO’s all day, every day. These are the best socks that we have found since they prevent his feet from sweating so much, they are 100% seamless, and they stretch up and over the top of his AFO. We love them and are by far the best AFO socks we have found. I know they are expensive but they are definitely worth the extra cost!


It seems like the biggest drawback of these socks is the cost. They tend to cost so much more than regular socks, but please keep in mind that they play a key role in keeping your kids’ feet healthy and make a tremendous difference in the way your child’s shoes and AFOs feel. Your children will already have a hard time adjusting to the AFO, so please make sure that you provide them with the correct type of socks.

What Are the Best Shoes for Kids Who Wear AFOs?

There are many resources I have created over the years, but these two cover the best sneakers and dress shoes for children who wear AFOs.

Do not hesitate to contact me if you are having trouble finding a specific sock or shoe style to accommodate your child’s AFOs.

Have you tried this sock brand for your kids before? Is there a particular sock style that has worked well for your child’s feet? Please share your findings below other parents can benefit from your experiences.