Summer sandals that keep feet protected for children in wheelchairs

Sunday, June 28th, 2009 | Adaptive clothing and gear, Equipment

Summer shoes are tricky for Quincy. She needs a sandal, like the rest of us, that allows lots of air to her feet on the warmer days. But, she also needs protection for her feet, since she spends all of her time in a wheelchair. Wheelchairs are well padded, but they still have bars and supports that can be kicked by feet. So, we always try to find shoes that keep her heels and toes protected. This gets tricky with sandals because they are often difficult to put on her foot or the toes are open and the heels are almost always uncovered.

But, to our delight, we have found that the sandal that our other children (and my husband) prefer for their feet works perfectly for Q. It’s the Keen Newport H2. These are great shoes! They cover the heel and have a protective toe box, are fairly easy to slip her foot into, and come in tons of fun colors! The only downside, if there is one, is the price. They are priced around $45 like a good pair of shoes. But, if you shop at the end of the season or wait for sales you can usually pick up a pair for less.

I love the tan marks these shoes make on Q’s feet, too. It’s always the sign of a great summer when we take off her shoes and she has stripes all over her feet from wearing her Keens. So, her new shoes arrived today and I expect lots of sunshine and warm days to follow…isn’t that how it works?