As parents, we know how quickly our kid’s feet can grow! It seems like you buy them a pair of sneakers they’re already ready for a new size, but it’s also important for your kid to wear shoes that aren’t completely dead to help ward off injuries.  Don’t know what a worn out shoe looks like? Here are some tips to assess your child’s sneaker issues.

1. The tread is worn down in certain areas.  Heels of shoes are especially susceptible to wear and tear.  A good rule is that if the rubber tread is showing major wear, time to toss.
2. The foot bed is worn or the insole is starting to fray.  This is a pretty good indication that your shoes are on the way out.  A worn out foot bed can make your child more susceptible to injuries because their foot may slide around inside of their shoes.
3. Shoe laces are looking worn.  This is also a pretty good indicator.  Shoe laces are meant to have certain ‘shelf life’ so breaking or fraying can mean that your shoes have been hanging around a little too long.
4. Impact feel.  Is your child starting to complain about their legs or back hurting more than normal? This is a definite indicator that new kicks are needed ASAP.