“As soon as Sofia put her Friendly Shoes on, she walked better”. This is what Clare, Sofia’s mum told me over the phone.
Chances are you follow Super Sofia’s Story on Instagram, watching in awe as she smashes another physio session or takes part in sports day. Sofia has diplegic cerebral palsy and her can do attitude is clear for all to see.
Sofia has recently discovered Friendly Shoes and is now walking better than ever which is just the feedback we love to hear! So we spoke with Clare to find out about their footwear search over the years.
When Sofia got her first AFO splints, Clare was told to just find any shoes they could get on. As you can imagine, shoe shopping was a nightmare. Whenever they found shoes, the London Orthotic Consultancy would had to adjust them, adding more of a curve to the back of the sole as a flat sole meant Sofia, who pronates, would walk less smoothly.
Friendly Shoes has changed that for Sofia – she put them on and straightaway ran faster than ever. So why are Friendly Shoes the best shoes for AFOs in her opinion?
They help her stay much more stable, as they have a curve to the sole at the front and back. The sole is solid but has some bounce to it, and they’re more lightweight than other shoe brands they have tried.
All these differences are really beneficial to Sofia with walking, running and even jumping. And it’s not just mum and Sofia who say this – when they had their gait lab at the London Orthotic Consultancy, everyone agreed her gait was much better.
Sofia also loves the styles and the fact that she now has trainers to wear to school on a Friday, just like all her classmates. You can read more about why she rates our footwear here.
Sofia is the ultimate cerebral palsy warrior. Now six years old, she didn’t walk until she was three years old when they made the decision to start private physio. Since then she’s been flying, and that’s because she is the most determined girl who never gives up. Thank you Sofia for being such an inspiration.
To try Friendly Shoes out for yourself and see why they’re the best shoes for AFO braces, take a look here. We’ve got stylish AFO shoes for children, men and women.