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Shoes that grow with your childs feet.


Dangerous gimick or dangerous gimick?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/23/nshoe123.xml

 

Is it April 1st again already?!

 

netizens

Expanding shoes (concertina style) were available in Germany about a decade ago and were developed to reduce the cost to parents when required to shod multi off-spring. Technically there is nothing to say these shoes would not fullfill all the necessary requirements of a growing foot. Obviously conditons do apply and provided the wear is not too severe then the longevity of the shoe should not be inhibited.

What say you?

toeslayer.

 

:craig:These obviously don't expand for the kids heel expansion or broadening of the forefoot. If left unchecked it would do the same damage as chinese foot binding.

 

L Semka

>These obviously don't expand for the kids heel expansion or broadening of the forefoot.

I would think a soft upper would provide sufficient volume to accommodate small changes likely to occur over the longevity of the shoe.

>If left unchecked it would do the same damage as chinese foot binding.

Not sure if you know much about footbinding (I do), and would seriously disagree with your statement. To ensure a chinese bound foot would require encasement of the foot for approximatley 7-8 years with another 7 years to have complete ossification. Concertina shoes would last 12 months, if that.

toeslayer





toeslayer

 

Toeslayer
I agree that the footbinding was a harsh comparison but we do see kids that grow at a massive rate at times.
There are good quality shoes on the market that have had podiatry input that aren't much more expensive with no gimmicks
Are you saying that these shoes should be recommended by podiatrists???

L Sempka

 

Semka

>I agree that the footbinding was a harsh comparison
agree

>but we do see kids that grow at a massive rate at times.
this shoe would not hinder even in extreme cases.

>There are good quality shoes on the market that have had podiatry input that aren't much more expensive with no gimmicks.
If the new shoes accommodate two maybe three growth spurts that would be a considerable saving against the cost of two or three pairs of shoes, particularly when there are several children to clothe. That was the reason the shoes were developed.

Are you saying that these shoes should be recommended by podiatrists???
Extendable shoes are a clever innovation and some might argue an essential economical necessity in inflationary times but it remains to be seen how practicable they are. I would have no quams about recommending these novelty shoes for my grandchildren. But like so many other things if they are not "cool" in the kids' estimation, no matter my reasoning they would vote with their feet.

As a podiatrist I do think the extendable shoe offers (as seen) a reasonable opportunity for children between sizes and with a growth spurt iminent. These may add to the suite of options already available to the discerning parent.

:drinks
toeslayer

 

I wish there were pictures. You know it's really all about how they look. If the kids like them they will wear them, if not......