Parents, health professionals and footwear stakeholders' beliefs on the importance of different features of young children's footwear: a qualitative study.

There were key differences in how stakeholders viewed footwear and any perceived benefits of footwear components, much of which was not backed with empirical evidence. It was also identified that health professionals are using footwear within treatment recommendations. This work highlights the importance of understanding circumstances in which footwear may have a therapeutic impact or be the first line of treatment for children with complex foot needs. This is the first step in developing contemporary footwear recommendations for parents and caregivers.