Ballet Dancers

There is actually a bit of controversy about this question. Some pediatricians recommend that your baby not wear shoes until at least 15 months of age. Others feel that a child should start to wear shoes as soon as they’re walking. However, you have to consider where your baby is walking. If they are cruising around your own home, then there is usually no need for shoes. But what about outdoors? Obviously you wouldn’t want your child running around barefoot on cement or in the dirt. Babies should be wearing a firm shoe in this case to prevent injuries (and dirty socks).

Shoes are also protection from sunburn, cold weather, scratches and bumps. Just make sure that when your baby has the opportunity to go barefoot, let them. And don’t keep shoes on for too long at a time.

If you do purchase outdoor shoes for your baby, make sure they fit properly. Their tiny toes should not be cramped.

Also, make sure they are flexible enough that their feet can still wiggle in them. Mothers and pediatricians recommend soft soled shoes or booties.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure it’s for the best interest of your child.

Don’t make them wear shoes all the time for the sake of looking cute.

Barefoot is best at home, and when they are outdoors, make sure they have a soft sole for the most natural fit.

Cassandra Germsheid is the owner of Baby Tips Online (http://www.babytipsonline.com). She is a stay at home mother but sometimes works part time for her local newspaper.

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Walking is the best form of exercise to increase your health and fitness. It’s easy to begin, you can set your own goals and it’s free!

Whilst others may encourage you to join a gym you may lack the confidence to begin exercising in such a public arena. Walking for fitness will give you the flexibility to exercise wherever and whenever you want.

It’s great to have flexibility but initially you may find having a set schedule very helpful while you establish your walking routine. For the first three weeks set aside a definite time each day for your walking program. Write the schedule in your diary or daily planner and don’t let anything come between you and your daily walk. Why? Because too often exercise commitments are broken because you put someone else’s needs before your own. For 21 days you are going to put your own health and well being first. You must begin taking care of you! Starting now.

Starting your walking program is much easier than joining an expensive gym. In fact, the only equipment you’ll need will be a comfortable pair of walking shoes, although taking along a MP3 player and headphones can help you set a steady pace. Walking to music will encourage you to keep up your step and listening to inspirational or motivational speakers while walking can often encourage you to walk a greater distance!

If you are new to exercise begin your new fitness walking program slowly. Start with a daily 10-minute walk at a moderate pace before increasing to a 20-minute walk. By the end of your first week of walking you should be able to comfortably walk for 20 minutes.

During your second week of walking increase your distance and your pace. At the end of 14 days you should be walking for 30 minutes and you’ll be surprised at how much ground you can cover.

This might also be a good time to review your eating habits and establish healthy patterns. You will accomplish a lot more is you maintain a healthy lifestyle while establishing your life-changing and possibly life-saving walking program.

When you enter your third week of walking you may consider introducing a few hills or stairs into your daily walk. At the end of three weeks you’ll have established your walking pattern, you should be feeling much more energetic and start noticing some weight loss - especially if you’ve modified your eating habits during this period.

You can now continue your fitness program by walking at a smart pace for around 45 minutes at least three times a week. The benefits to your health will be enormous and ongoing.

Beginning a walking program can help you reduce your weight and reduce your risk of coronary heart disease, increase your bone density, reduce stress and benefit the joints. Walking keeps you active, increases mental alertness, boosts your energy levels and improves your overall well-being.

Walking off the weight may be just what the doctor ordered but remember to consult your doctor before beginning this or any other exercise program, especially if you are overweight and haven’t exercised on a regular basis for some time.

Alison Stevens runs a fitness walking program for baby boomers and maintains the website http://www.walking-for-fitness.com
and the blog http://fitnesswalking.blogspot.com to encourage others to begin their own walking program.

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In the U.S., over 80 million people participate in exercise walking. It is no surprise that Americans have made exercise walking their top sport. But, many exercise walkers end up with injuries to their feet because they do not take the appropriate steps to prevent foot problems. Working into a walking program gradually, with the right pair of shoes, can make the difference between spending time enjoying the outdoors, or spending time on the couch nursing a sore foot. Exercise walkers should use the following tips to help prevent foot problems:

1. Buy a shoe made for walking. Make sure the shoe has enough stability and support. Grab the shoe at the toe and the heel. Try to twist the shoe by turning one hand clockwise and the other hand counter clockwise. Try to bend the shoe. If you can twist the shoe or fold the shoe in half, it is too flexible. Make sure the shoe has enough room at the toes and is fitted well at the heel.

2. Choose soft surfaces. Walking on a track or a trail will decrease the impact on your feet and legs. Cement can be a particularly hard surface for walking.

A new walking trend is to do laps in the local mall. Although this can be a safe and easy alternative to busy suburban streets, mall floor are usually made of linoleum overlying cement, which is a very unforgiving surface. If you are walking on this surface, make sure your shoes have enough shock absorption. Don’t do too many laps too quickly. Work into this as you would any other routine and pay attention to injury.

3. Start on flat surfaces. Do not start a walking program walking on hills or stairs.

4. Start with a short distance. Although this may seem obvious, many individuals will jump right into longer distances they did when they were younger. They then become injured and cannot walk for weeks.

Stick with your initial distance for a week. If you are pain free and injury free, increase the distance the following week. Start with an easy pace. Increase your pace gradually.

5. Limit your time on the treadmill. Treadmills can contribute to the development of foot problems. Start with the treadmill flat and at a slow pace. Slowly increase your pace each week. Increase the incline after you have reached a comfortable pace.

6. Stop if you feel foot or ankle pain. Don’t try to walk through the pain.

7. Examine your feet. Look for areas of rub or irritation the first few weeks of your walking program and then again after trying new shoes or socks. Moleskin can be placed on areas of irritation to help decrease friction. Do not use Band-Aids on these areas.

8. Consider wearing orthotics. Individuals with flat feet may need inserts for their shoes. When buying inserts, look for sport orthotics, as opposed to cushioned insoles. You will need to purchase these at your local sports store. A more rigid insert will offer more support. Custom orthotics can be made by a podiatrist, if necessary.

9. Avoid cotton socks. Synthetic socks decrease friction, prevent excess rubbing and don’t absorb moisture. Your local running store or sports store should carry a variety of new high-tech socks for walking.

10. Consult your podiatrist if you start to develop pain when walking, or consider a visit before embarking on your new walking program.

Christine Dobrowolski is a podiatrist and the author of Those Aching Feet: Your Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Foot Problems. To learn more about Dr. Dobrowolski and her book visit http://www.skipublishing.com For information on foot products, visit http://www.northcoastfootcare.com

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