Children's school footwear: The impact of fit on foot function, comfort and jump performance in children aged 8 to 12 years.

Background: There is a common perception that poorly fitting footwear will negatively impact a child's foot, however, there is limited evidence to support this.

Aim: To determine the effect of shoe size on foot motion, perceived footwear comfort and fit during walking, maximal vertical jump height and maximal standing broad jump distance in children aged 8-12 years.

Methods: Fourteen participants completed 3D walking gait analysis and jumping tasks in three different sizes of school shoes (one size bigger, fitted for size, one size smaller).