Parenting is not as easy as it seems, especially when it comes to keeping to the whims and desires of your kids. It is hard for you to decide sometimes whether you should listen to them or you should not. It is of course all for their good and you should know about something before deciding whether you should or should not let your children do something which they want to. As your children begin to grow gradually, their appearance and accessories gradually begin to matter to them and it is then when it is time for you to decide what action you should take. Shoes with wheels are one such accessory which kids love wearing. But the question definitely arises whether wearing shoes with wheels can be harmful for kids.

Shoes with wheels was first launched by the company Heelys, Inc., formerly known as Heeling Sports Limited. These are basically sneakers that have a hidden wheel in the back, so kids can roll around (heeling) in addition to the more traditional walking and running—are a lot of fun for kids. They are also a source of risk that smart parents will seek to minimize. These are basically designed to walk through empty or open areas such as stretches of forest land or the like. But since these shoes make walking around or running around easier and fun for children, they often love wearing these and insist on wearing them all the time. But these kinds of shoes are definitely not suitable and fir for regular use by children especially in cities with crowded roads and overpopulation of transport. The dangers of wearing these shoes are far fetched and can often prove to be very fatal for your kid. Here is a list of dangers that these shoes with wheels can cause to your kid:

Wearing Shoes With Wheels: 11 List of Dangers

Possibility of losing balance

When your kids are wearing shoes with wheels that keep rolling all they time, practically, they would no more have any control over the movement of the shoes. The speed or balance would of course become out of control and therefore, the kid might lose balance altogether while walking. This might lead to various consequences and injuries that are definitely undesirable.

Possibility of losing control

As these shoes cause the children to lose balance, similarly when they walk wearing these shoes they would not be able to control their movement. Losing control while using these kinds of shoes can be dangerous beyond expectations.

Likeliness to fall down

It is obvious that when a child loses control and balance over himself or herself while walking, they are very likely to fall down. These incidents in turn can lead to severe injuries for the child.

Injury to heels

The shoes with wheels are not designed either for regular wear or for wearing for a large span of time. Therefore, they will be unable to provide that comfort to the heels which a normal ordinary shoe designed for regular wear by kids will be able to. These shoes with wheels are usually hard and do not have a cushion in and around the heel area, thereby increasing possibilities of injury in the ankle and heels area of the child’s feet.

Unsuitable place

The shoes with wheels are specially designed for skating or moving around in areas of empty patches or forests or the like. They are not at all suitable for areas with traffic and movement such as cities. Hence if these kinds of shoes are worn in an unsuitable place, accidents are most likely to occur and very difficult to prevent.

Possibility of collision

Wearing shoes with wheels definitely brings us to the fact that children will gradually lose control over their speed of walking, owing to the inability to control the speed of the wheels. Therefore, they are likely to collide with moving cars or even tress or other objects in the road which might prove to be very serious for them.

Affects the gait of children

Researches have shown that shoes affect the gait of children. With shoes, children walk faster by taking longer steps with greater ankle and knee motion and increased tibialis anterior activity. Shoes reduce foot motion and increase the support phases of the gait cycle. During running, shoes reduce swing phase leg speed, attenuate some shock and encourage a rearfoot strike pattern. The long-term effect of these changes on growth and development are currently unknown. The impact of footwear on gait should be considered when assessing the pediatric patient and evaluating the effect of shoe or in-shoe interventions. It is therefore obvious that shoes with wheels can have a negative impact in your children’s gait and should therefore be avoided.

Possibility of serious injury

Since these shoes are not meant for skating and not for walking in general regularly, they might cause severe injuries if used otherwise. These shoes have wheels which lead the children to lose balance while they are walking. If your children, hit a car or a tree when out of control, serious injuries can be incurred. Hence these shoes are a big no-no for kids to avoid injuries and remain safe.

Can affect walking style of kids

Kids have shoes specially deigned for them which provide them with the right kind of comfort that is required. Shoes with wheels obviously cannot provide the same to children. This is the stage when they get used to the different motor functions of our body and walking is a very important function. Wearing these shoes can affect the walking style of kids, for which they might have to suffer for the rest of their lives.

Possibility of dizziness

The wheels attached to the shoes, basically control the entire movement of children, often making them lose balance as well. Movement for a very long period of time wearing these shoes can lead them to feel dizzy and nauseatic and might even cause them to throw up.

Difficulty in climbing up and down the stairs

Climbing up or down the stairs is very risky wearing these shoes. Hence this should strictly be prohibited, no matter how badly your kid wants to wear them.

Therefore, it is quite evident how risky the shoes with wheels can be for your kids. As goes the proverb, “Prevention is better than cure”, if you are a parent, you will know this proverb is more than applicable for your dearest kid. Hence, it is always better to embrace safety and avoid wearing or buying shoes with wheels for your child.

Read more: 5 Ways to Prevent Injuries With Heelys