Cleats for Kids – Considerations for Foot Care

First practice blisters are a common occurrence in youth soccer.  Young and first time soccer players are especially prone to blisters when breaking in new cleats. There are a few easy actions you can take to help prevent the blisters and get through that break-in period.  Avoiding blisters is worth the effort, your player, their coach and teammates will appreciate it!

#1 Ensure the Shoes Fit 

The first step to avoid blisters is buying the right shoe.  The best way to find the right shoe is to try them on, so I recommend going to the sporting goods store and trying on a large number of shoes.  Unfortunately for kids, what a shoe looks like is often more important than what the cleat feels like.  So be prepared to get over the hurdle of only trying on shoes that look cool.  I typically have the salesperson bring out 5 or 6 pairs and have the player cycle through all of the different shoes.   The other way to try on shoes is the Amazon method, buy 5 or 6 pairs, have them delivered, try them on, and then return the ones that don’t fit.  

Trying to figure out what shoe to even look at can be confusing.  Check out our post on selecting the right soccer cleat here.

#2 Wear the cleats prior to practice 

Wearing cleats prior to practice is a great way to break them in. Start with the cleats relatively loose to figure out where the hot spots will form will help with the moleskin application below.  Cleats on hard surfaces can be like walking on ice, so finding the right location to wear the cleats before practice can be tough.  I recommend 10 minutes a day in the backyard. Just get the kids used to the cleats and make sure they fit.  Breaking them in this way also allows you to return them if they don’t fit. This method will make that first practice easier on the feet.

#3 Use Moleskin 

Proper preparation before practice can go a long way to preventing blisters.  If your player has typical hot spots, putting moleskin on them prior to practice will expedite the breaking in of the new cleats.  Application of the moleskin is simple, cut the moleskin into appropriate sized pieces and then place it directly on the areas of the feet that typically have hot spots.  Make sure that the feet are clean and dry prior to application. The moleskin should be fully affixed before putting socks on as you don’t want it to role up.  

Application of moleskin must be done before blisters form.  You don’t want to apply the moleskin to skin that has already blistered, as that will likely lead to a painful situation for the player. 

#4 Wear the right socks

Having the right socks are second only to having shoes that fit.  Soccer socks are a little more expensive than a normal pair of socks, but they are well worth it. These socks have padding in all of the right spots.  Even with the right socks, it is important to constantly monitor their condition, as they can wear out quickly in situations where blisters are forming due to friction.  Early in the season, I would invest 3 or 4 pair of socks to keep them fresh and like new when breaking in the new cleats.

#5 Have a second pair of shoes at practice 

If you have an old set of cleats that still fit, think about bringing them to practice and trading out shoes during the training session.  The simple change in footwear can reduce friction and prevent blisters.  Be careful with just using any shoe though, as a non-soccer shoe could cause other issues.  

#6 Keep your feet dry and clean

This is actually easier than it sounds.  Start with clean socks and dry shoes.  Before practice starts you can apply some body glide or antiperspirant to the player’s feet.  This will help keep the feet dry and minimize the sweat.  Another trick is to swap out the socks at one of the breaks during practice.  Coaches will give water breaks and during one of those breaks think about putting on some clean dry socks before heading back onto the field.    

#7 After Practice, put some slides on to let the feet air out.  

After practice, taking the cleats off and putting on some slides can help keep blisters.  Letting the feet air out and immediately changing the friction points will help avoid blisters. So getting some slides on after practice is proper foot care.

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