My grandson (2 years old) has feet that are much wider than any firm supplies and the mother does not have the funds to pay for hand made shoes. This is due to a medial problem.
So is it possible to make his shoes for him?
Who might supply the materials and who has suggestions as to how to make them?
I've not found Google to be very friendly in this case ................
-- MarkBR
Medical?
I'm sort of surprised that the NHS doesn't provide some for of help. Might not be the latest fashion trainers but something.
If you have the skills but at 2 his feet will be growing so fast that I suspect it's not really worth it unless you make a shoe that can expand with his foot so he doesn't outgrow it in 6 months.
Wooden clogs?
In 3rd world countries they use car tyre tread for the soles, and I presume denim would work well for the uppers. Sewing the 2 together should be a challenge - I expect one could probably iron the upper onto the base to keep it place while sewn.
NT
If the child's health problem means that he has an occupational therapist then (s)he should be able to organise something like this:
I would have thought (or maybe just hoped) that some sort of help is available.
If not, there is the angle grider.
Not to discourage you from DIY'ing, but if it's a medical problem, then orthopaedic footwear is available, e.g.
I too have very wide feet (and with very high insteps) - I think I am rated at something like HH+ width. So have a lot of sympathy for the difficulties that imposes.
Algeos are a major supplier of all sorts of foot-related products such as sheets of special foams, what you'd need to make orthotics and everything a chiropodist might need. Some of these might just be of use in constructing suitable footwear.
Indeed, why not quote from their menu?:
Footwear Materials
EVA Soling Adhesives & Bonding Shoe and Leather Colouring Randing & Welting Footwear Additions Soling Materials Soles & Heels Texon Cellulose Board Leather Board Cork Nails & Tacks Screws, Rivets & Stems Fastenings & Shoe Components Cords & Threads Metal Shanks
They are also the best/cheapest supplier I have found of the truly excellent high-urea CCS foot creams, should anyone be looking for those!
Sorry but I have no real idea of what approach to suggest - best of luck.
Rod
I am hoping the NHS will provide some support, but it is hard to find a jumping off point to get things going.
Like the idea of moccasins and some shoes to go over plaster casts found via the Algeos website - and at only about ?14!
Thanks for all the suggestions.
-- Mark BR
Agree be better not to bother, after all we survived as a species without shoes for a very long time. Indeed many people around now don't have shoes. If (normal) people in this country think they have "wide feet" they ought to look at the width of the feet of people who have never worn shoes or only flipflop type things.
I don't know if it's the same throughout the country, but in our area you can self-refer to Podiatry, thus cutting out the hassle of doctors'/hospital appointments.
SteveW
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