Finding the best shoe for orthotics is no small feat—pun intended. “Best adaptive shoes for kids” should really be a flyer handed out by every orthotist, but instead, it’s an endless adventure of trial and error.
I’m here to save you some time by sharing our adaptive shoe journey. Hopefully, you’ll find the perfect fit earlier than we did.
#1: Medical Adaptive Shoes for Kids
First up: medical shoes. We started here because, well, it’s all we knew to look for. The upside is that your insurance may cover them if you go through a medical provider. I don’t even remember where we ordered them, and honestly, I’m not going to bother linking them because they were far from ideal.
For a shoe that was designed to be AFO friendly, these shoes were too narrow, too heavy for someone just learning to pick up their feet, and, let’s face it, not exactly stylish. They didn’t look like kid shoes—they looked like medical shoes.
#2: Cheap Walmart (or Target) Shoes
Okay, Kmart was our go-to, but it doesn’t really exist anymore. Walmart, Target, or Amazon will do. Once I vented about our struggles with medical shoes in our Spina Bifida Facebook group, other parents clued me in on their hack for shoes for orthotics: they just bought the cheapest sneakers they could find.
It turns out cheap sneakers are super stretchy and relatively easy to get over orthotics. Back then, they cost around $15—probably closer to $20 now. These shoes have foam bottoms, which means the tread is minimal. Unfortunately, for a highly active kid who drags their feet, these shoes wore out within a week.
That said, if your child is a part-time wheelchair user or less active, these could be a great, budget-friendly starting point.
#3: Billy, New Balance, Nike, and Friendly
Billy Shoes were a game changer when they first came out, especially for families looking for AFO friendly options. They zip open from the top, allowing you to place the orthotic directly into the shoe—no wrestling required. Similarly, New Balance, Nike, and Friendly Shoes offer easy-on options designed to work with orthotics.
These shoes are higher quality and will last longer than the cheap sneakers. Unfortunately, our son’s clubfoot made his foot too tall for the zippers to close properly, so these weren’t the solution for us. But they’re a fantastic option for many families searching for AFO-friendly shoes.
#4: KEEN Targhee
I was over the moon when we discovered KEEN Targhee mid-height boots. They’re incredibly durable for an adaptive shoe—light-years ahead of the foam-bottom shoes.
To slide in, we had to use a shoehorn for the first few wears, but the payoff was worth it: one pair of Targhees lasted us nine months. That’s one pair of shoes compared to the 36 pairs of foam-soled sneakers we’d gone through in that time frame before. At around $40 per pair, the investment is easy to excuse.
#5: Our Forever Shoe
The last time I went to order Targhees, I found something even better: the KEEN Targhee Boundless—the adaptive version of our favorite boot.
These have zippers and Velcro on top, so the shoe fully opens while maintaining the wide height of a boot. Plus, because they’re KEEN, they come with a lightweight, durable hiking sole that can withstand months of wear and tear.
We’ve been using ours for two months, and they still look brand new. For us, this is the best adaptive footwear out there. My next goal is to convince them to make them in adult sizes: we’ll never need to buy anything else!
Tips for Buying Adaptive Shoes
A few extra tips to make your hunt for the perfect adaptive shoe a little smoother:
- Shop Zappos: Zappos makes shopping, shipping, and returns a breeze. Their customer service team is fantastic and will help you through any hiccups. Since in-person stores rarely carry what we need, Zappos has become our go-to. They also have a great selection of adaptive shoes for kids.
- Bring the orthotic, not the kid: If you must shop in person, bring the orthotic along instead of the child. It’s easier to test fit shoes for orthotics without your little one getting frustrated or tired.
- Remove the inserts: Pull out the inserts for a deeper fit—but make sure they’re not glued in if you’re still deciding.
- Don’t fear a snug fit: Remember, shoes stretch. If they feel snug at first, they’ll likely loosen up after a week of wear with an orthotic inside.
Finding the best adaptive shoes for kids is all about trial and error, but hopefully, our journey will make yours a little easier. Whether you’re shopping for AFO-friendly options, the best adaptive footwear for KAFOs, or shoes for orthotics of another kind, I’m confident one of these options will work for you!
**I’m not an affiliate for any of these shoes, but I do earn a small commission if you purchase through Amazon.**