A sprained ankle is one of the most common injuries for kids and usually happens whilst playing sport, climbing trees or running in the playground. Whilst the initial incident is painful, the receiver of the sprained ankle may find some unexpected advantages of the ensuing handicap.

Advantages of a sprained ankle:

• siblings and parents become personal slaves
• an exciting story to tell their friends
• sympathy from strangers often resulting in extra sweets, TV time etc

Tracy Byrne

Research Podiatrist for Skeanie

www.tracybyrne.co.uk

Twitter follow @tracyabyrne

The arrival of these darling little sandals brought lots of ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the reception staff at my Podiatry clinic, as they are just so cute! As a Podiatrist, I’m particularly impressed with the design structure – this shoe clings to the infant’s foot to keep the shoe from slipping off, while the soft, malleable sole allows for 100 per cent flexion of the foot. The sole is particularly thin and flat, so sensory perception from the ground would be almost identical to being barefooted. This is vital to the natural growth of baby’s foot, and development of their proprioception and ankle strength.

These sandals are perfect for summer – breathable, sockless, sweat proof, smell proof, lightweight and easy to stuff into backpacks or strollers, when baby wants to go barefoot!

Tracy Byrne

Research Podiatrist for Skeanie

www.tracybyrne.co.uk

Twitter follow @tracyabyrne

Obesity in children is on the rise, with one in six children in the UK now classifying as obese. Kids need a healthy balanced diet to help them grow, but with increased availability of junk foods, and the popularity of computer games and other sedentary activities, its no wonder children are consuming more energy than they burn.

Being overweight can have a myriad of negative affects on your child’s health, not to mention their self esteem, but one less known outcome is the affect obesity can have on their feet.

The extra weight can flatten the foot, which strains the plantar fascia and can lead to pain in the heel, arch and balls of the feet. In addition, obesity makes children more prone to stress fractures in the heel bone.

Get your child active – as you probably know, this is easier said than done! Not all children take to team sports, and if your child is already obese, they may feel particularly intimidated by team sports. Start by getting active with your child at home – playing with a ball in the backyard, shooting hoops etc. This will improve their motor skills  - and confidence – in a ‘safe’ environment.

If your child is already overweight, their feet may feel sore during or after sports, further discouraging them. Make sure they have comfortable sports shoes, with plenty of wriggle room for their toes and a cushioning support system. Martial Arts is a great alternative for children who don’t take to ball sports. These are often done barefoot which is a great way for your child to strengthen their ankles and develop proprioception.

Your child is never too young to get active, and playing with your child is a great way to spend ‘quality’ time.

Tracy Byrne

Research Podiatrist for Skeanie

www.tracybyrne.co.uk

Kids love getting dirty. Give them a choice between splashing around in puddles or having a bath, they’ll choose the puddles. Finger painting, snow balls, digging in the sand pit, playing with insects… it’s all active and sensory and, well, germ-ridden. Luckily, we parents can relax while they get dirty, because a new study directly demonstrates the effectiveness of the Hygiene Hypothesis, the theory that germ exposure builds immunity in kids.

The researchers at Brigham Women’s Hospital discovered that exposing germ-free mice to microbes during their first weeks of life, led to a normalized immune system and prevention of diseases. Mice that were not exposed had more inflammation of the lungs and colon, which leads to asthma and colitis. It’s suggested that the hygiene hypothesis explains the global increase of allergic and autoimmune diseases in cities.

Now the weather is warmer, I suggest you let your kids play outside, climbing, running, building, creating and feeling – let them slip their shoes off! 

My daughter, Annie, loves getting barefoot and dirty in nature!

Tracy Byrne

Research Podiatrist for Skeanie

www.tracybyrne.co.uk

Children are constantly kicking their shoes off, usually to the frustration of their parents! But there are reasons why kiddies prefer barefoot, and with the weather warming up, its a good idea to allow your children to indulge in some barefoot time (and adults would benefit by following suit!)

5 Reasons Your Kids Kick Off Their Shoes

1. Easier to walk – the combination of rigid soles and reduced sensory perception makes walking in shoes a lot more difficult for little ones. when barefoot, kids can FEEL what is beneath them, so there is little need to look at the ground. This practice improves their proprioception and strengthens their ankle/feet muscles

2. Barefoot is natural – we are born to walk on the ground and feel the earth beneath our feet, so babies and kids feel innately more comfortable without shoes

3. Better for climbing – kids love to climb! Shoes just reduce their agility and make gripping onto trees and playground equipment harder

4. Feet are waterproof – there’s no worrying about getting shoes wet and dirty, which means kiddies can splash through puddles and wet grass without getting into trouble!

5. Feet get hot and cramped – not only are kids more comfortable without shoes, its also better for their health. Cramped feet can develop into more serious foot problems later in life whilst sweaty feet are more likely to cause bacterial infections.

So let your kids kick off their shoes this spring!

Tracy Byrne

Research Podiatrist for Skeanie

www.tracybyrne.co.uk

Teaching your child how to dress requires patience, thats for sure! It can be tempting to do it for them, especially when you are juggling school lunches, a dribbling baby and a leaking washing machine. But learning how to get dressed is one of those important developmental processes that no child should miss. It develops proprioception, balance, cognitive skills, motor skills, language and problem solving skills. Here are 7 easy steps to teaching your child this life skill:

1. label clothing drawers/cupboards with clear labels and pictures 

2. teach undressing first as it requires less planning and coordination

3. allow a realistic amount of time for getting dressed so you aren’t rushing  

4. discuss the weather and appropriate clothing choices

5. make sure clothes have a clear front and back

6. take a step back and allow your child to work it out, then give praise where its due

7. be positive and supportive. learning this skill will build their confidence

Tying Shoelaces

This skill comes a little later – age five is when most kids learn to tie shoelaces, though it can take a lot of practice! The Skeanie Infant and Junior range are designed with this in mind – a lace-less easy-to-pull-on shoe so your child can focus on the other things!

…and remember, when it comes to building proprioception, balance and awareness – Barefoot is best!

Tracy Byrne

Research Podiatrist for Skeanie

www.tracybyrne.co.uk

www.foothealthfoundation.com

Twitter @tracyabyrne

A bit about me… 

I suppose a good place to start would be to tell you a little bit about myself.  I am called Mel and currently have one daughter, Lola, who is 17 months old.  I am married to Tim and we are shortly (in less than 1 week eek!) expecting our second child, gender unknown. 

If you follow Skeanie on facebook or twitter you may already know a little bit about me and Lola and if you start to follow our new blog too then you will, no doubt, soon know more than our nearest and dearest!

How I came accross Skeanie 

I suppose it was a coincidence really that I came across Skeanie just as Lola was taking her first steps.  I had been researching (or rather googling) about the best time to buy shoes and started to learn about the benefits of soft sole shoes for children.  At the same time I was asked to help out doing some social media for a children’s shoe brand from Australia which was soon to be launched in the UK and the more I learnt about Skeanie the more I got hooked.

The idea behind Skeanie is that children benefit from being barefoot as often as possible.  We know that this is not always possible particularly as children begin to walk and play outside regularly.  Skeanie shoes offer the next best thing to barefoot by being flexible and breathable and they look great too!

How the blog is going to work

Well, the idea is that I will regularly post on the blog things that I think you may be interested to read.  This will include general things that happen in my family life but also more specifically things related to child foot health which I encounter and feel would be good to share.  I am also hoping to invite posts from guest bloggers who will include expert podiatrists and people with professional knowledge of child foot development and also other great mummy bloggers who I come across on my Skeanie journey.

I would love to know any suggestions you have and any positive or negative feedback, feel free to email me mel@unitedbrandmanagement.co.uk

Here is my daughter admiring the new Skeanie Winter Boots at my clinic in Hackney London, Holistic Health.

Just looking at these little boots makes you feel cosy! We were lucky enough to get our hands on some at the beginning of winter and the girls have barely worn anything else since. The lining is made from the softest fur which keeps their feet toasty and warm, even on the coldest days. The shoe is crafted from delicious, soft leather which has proved durable as the girls have been wearing them for a couple of months and the boots still look and feel as gorgeous as ever.