Children’s stability therapeutic footwear
Mobility impairment encompasses various neurological, musculoskeletal, and combined conditions that lead to moderate to severe disability in an estimated 2% of children.
Footwear is often prescribed to aid walking in this population, with therapeutic designs targeting conditions such as cerebral palsy and developmental delay. However, in contrast to well-researched orthoses, there is limited understanding of the precise design, biomechanical effects, and appropriate indications of therapeutic footwear for mobility-impaired children. A recent scoping review found minimal empirical research on therapeutic versus conventional footwear in this population and a lack of standard terminology defining therapeutic footwear or elucidating its intended role. The review proposed a classification system categorizing therapeutic footwear as corrective, accommodative, or functional based on the therapeutic goal of alleviating specific aspects of mobility impairment. Further research characterizing therapeutic footwear designs, evaluating effects on gait biomechanics, and delineating precise prescription guidelines are critical to optimise utilization and improve functional outcomes for children with impaired mobility.
Some of Our Key Research Papers
Defining and grouping children's therapeutic footwear and criteria for their prescription: an international expert Delphi consensus study.
Hill M, Healy A, Chockalingam N. BMJ Open. 2021 Aug 9;11(8):e051381. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051381.
Key concepts in children's footwear research: a scoping review focusing on therapeutic footwear.
J Foot Ankle Res. 2019 Apr 27;12:25. doi: 10.1186/s13047-019-0336-z. eCollection 2019.
Effectiveness of therapeutic footwear for children: A systematic review.
Hill M, Healy A, Chockalingam N. J Foot Ankle Res. 2020 May 13;13(1):23. doi: 10.1186/s13047-020-00390-3.