This week Dan Everson Podiatry is offering free back-to-school foot screenings at multiple locations across the Sunshine Coast in a continued effort to combat the greatest contributing factor to poor foot health in children – improperly fitted shoes.

No two feet are the same – a fact the team at Dan Everson Podiatry are well aware of, having assessed and fitted more than 20,000 feet in the back-to-school period over the past 20 years.

Principal of Dan Everson Podiatry, Dan Everson, said the program identifies foot conditions in children, which may be linked to coordination, clumsiness, tiredness, irritability and pain in the feet or legs.

“The average child spends more than 1,000 hours every year in their school shoes, so ensuring a child’s shoes are properly fitted is essential to their future health and wellbeing,” Mr Everson said.

“During each child’s early growing years, it’s vital that we allow them to attain correct lower limb alignment, otherwise the consequences can be detrimental later on.

“The growing foot needs special care as the bones are predominantly cartilage, and as such they cannot be considered ‘small adults’.”

The new school year often means new school shoes, which makes the back-to-school period the perfect time for parents to seek out professional expertise to check their child’s foot health, and ensure they’re making the right shoe choice for 2019.

With more than 30 podiatrists and trained fitters across the Brisbane and Sunshine Coast regions, the team at Dan Everson Podiatry are well equipped to guide parents in this process.

“Our program is designed to target the specific areas of gait analysis, correct shoe fitting, coordination and body alignment.”

Parents can help their children jump feet first into the 2019 school year with a free foot assessment, free walking assessment and free recommendations for best shoe matches from the team at Dan Everson Podiatry.

Dan Everson Podiatry will be conducting free back-to-school foot assessments at pop-up stalls at Kawana Shopping World near the food court between 7 and 13 January and Sunshine Plaza near Athlete’s Foot between 7 and 20 January.

For more information or to locate a clinic or pop-up stall in your area, please visit www.daneverson.com.au or call 1300 130 410.

Seven tips for buying the right school shoes:

· Involve your child in their foot health by taking them shoe shopping.

· Shop for shoes later in the day as feet can swell.

· Shoes should feel comfortable immediately – there is no need to “break them in”.

· Measure both feet, and buy shoes for the longer foot.

· Have the feet measured when standing.

· Try shoes on with the same sock that your child will be wearing them with.

· Most importantly, get fitted by a trained professional.