South African school shoes: Urgent changes required for our children’s unique feet

Abstract

a larger hallux valgus angle compared to their German counterparts. The increased hallux angle observed in the barefoot population was unexpected. It is plausible that the prescribed school uniform, which includes more restrictive footwear, may have contributed to the relatively constrained conditions experienced by the habitually barefoot group as compared to their shod counterparts. 15,16 The intrinsic association between footwear and pathology necessitates the adherence of footwear to specific requirements tailored to the population in question. Various factors should be taken into consideration when designing shoes, including the fit, weight, structure, motion control properties, material composition