Finding Shoes That Fit Over AFO Braces

Finding Shoes That Fit Over AFO Braces

Once you have decided that orthotics will be a benefit to your child, (and if you are still in that phase be sure to check out this post here) you will likely encounter the next hurdle and that is shoes. Yes, my friend, shoes that will actually fit over the new custom braces can present a big challenge as your child will need a good pair of shoes while cruising around wearing the new stabilizing orthotics. So, never to let you down, here is a super helpful set of tips for finding shoes that fit over AFO braces.

Related Post: What are AFO’s and how do they help?

Getting Used to Bracing

If you have just gotten your child’s braces you will likely enter a phase of slowly getting them used to wearing the braces. Our orthotist recommended a few hours a day and gradually building up until Cedar was wearing them most of his waking hours. I found that for us, this worked well and initially, while on carpet, we often did not use shoes while we were getting him used to the AFO braces.

Finding the right socks to do the job

For us, we had the best luck when we use very thin socks as opposed to some of the thicker infant and toddler socks on the market. Having the thin socks means that I don’t have to worry about yet more bulk when looking for those perfect fit shoes. These are perfect (not to mention there are a lot of them since our dryer likes to eat socks)

Time for shoes…

I normally prefer to shop online and I love velcro strap shoes (totally easy on a mama) but this was not a win for us while trying to find great shoes for the braces. Many times the velcro strap that goes across the foot will not close over the bracing making it a no win. Another tip to consider when looking for shoes that will fit over AFO bracing is checking to see if the sole of the shoe (on the inside) is removable as this can provide just that little bit of extra room needed for the braces to fit comfortably in the shoe. Oh, and don’t hesitate to size up or size wide when searching for the perfect fit.

Related Post: How do you get your child AFO orthotics?

After heading to our local shoe store and subjecting poor Cedar to an array of shoes…this is what we came up with as the best shoes that fit over AFO bracing for little ones.

So here it is folks… our picks:

Converse lace up shoes seem to fit great but keep in mind you will still see the braces and sometimes they can get pulled off easily (depends on how persistent your child is)

K Swiss Classic Pro Lace Up Shoe. These had a great fit but keep in mind you will have to lace em up.

Adidas Baby Baseline velcro shoe. This is the first Velcro shoe I have found that will actually fit across the braces and close properly.

Lastly, this shoe was not in the video as we found it later but we needed a good church shoe for dress up. This has been Cedar’s favorite and I find that you can almost not see the braces at all in these.

We have seen such improvements for Cedar in his ability to cruise, and stand for extended periods of time since we had him fitted for his custom orthotics from Surestep. Finally finding the right shoes to complete the process was huge for us.

If you are using orthotics, what shoes have worked for you?

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