Shopping for shoes that get kids moving

According to the Cen­ters for Disease Control (CDC), America's children need to get moving. A recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Sur­vey (NHANES) of the last 30 years found that among children ages 2 to 5, obesity has doubled, while among 6- to 11-year-olds, it has tripled.

Obesity can have a negative impact on health. Young people who are obese are at a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and type 2 dia­betes.

That's why it is so important to encourage children to participate in physical activity. However, when children choose a sport, it's important to equip them with sport-specific shoes.

"Selecting the correct shoe for a child's activity and foot type can go a long way in preventing many foot-related injuries," said Dr. Kathleen Stone, presi­dent of the American Podi­atric Medical Association (APMA).

Here are a few facts you can use to shop for sport-specific shoes:

• If your child likes to shoot hoops. Give children a shoe that both helps them perfect their basket­ball-handling skills and prevents injury. A child's basketball shoe should: • Have a thick, stiff sole that helps give sup­port while a child is run­ning and landing from jumps to the basket. • Incorporate high ankle construction that supports the ankle during quick changes in direction. A good basketball shoe should have the strongest support on either side of the ankle. • If your child is an ace on the tennis court. A court shoe should: • Support both sides of the foot, due to the quick lateral movements and weight shifts in court sports. • Provide a flexible sole for fast changes of direc­tion. • If your child likes to run. Choose a shoe that: • Provides maximum shock absorption to help runners avoid ailments such as shin splints and knee pain. • Controls the way your child's heel strikes the ground, so the rest of the foot can fall correctly. • Whatever the game, stock up on the right socks. The right athletic sock should be made of a natu­ral/synthetic blend as this helps wick away moisture, and it shouldn't contain any large seams that can cause blisters.

Article funded through the Asian Health Initiative of Tufts Medical Center