The Lab

Sports shoe advice, written plainly — kit guides for parents, the science of sports shoes, and field notes from the pitch.

• How to tell when your child's running shoes are done — A running shoe can look perfectly fine and be finished — the cushioning dies on the inside, where you can't see it. Here's how to tell when a pair is spent, why it matters more for some kids than others, and how to judge a pre-owned pair on its foam, not its photo.
• Signs your child's football boots are too small — Children almost never say their boots are too small — they just go quiet, or sore. Here are the signs to catch it early, the two-minute check that settles it, and why a tight boot matters more than a tight trainer.
• Shin splints in young runners — and when shin pain is something more — Shin splints are the most common — and most commonly shrugged-off — complaint in young runners. Here's what they actually are, what helps, and the warning signs that mean shin pain needs a professional, not just a week off.
• How much running is too much for a child? — A parent's instinct is to ask whether a distance is safe — but the research keeps pointing elsewhere. It's rarely the race that harms a young runner; it's the weekly load around it. Here's what the evidence says about how much is too much, and how to read the warning signs.
• How much cushioning does your child actually need? — Barefoot minimalism on one wall, great slabs of foam on the other — and both can't be right. Here's what the research actually says about how much cushioning a growing child needs, and why the answer sits in the unglamorous middle.
• When to replace kids’ football boots — Most parents replace football boots when they look worn out — but the parts that fail first are hidden, and for younger kids the real question isn’t wear at all. Here’s what actually matters, in the order it matters.
• Flat feet in children: what the research actually says — "My child has flat feet — do they need special shoes?" is the most Googled question about children's foot health. The commercial answer and the clinical answer are not the same thing.
• Heel pain in active children: what parents need to know about Sever's disease — Sever's disease is the most common cause of heel pain in children aged 8–14. It sounds alarming. It isn't. Here's what it is, why it happens, and what footwear has to do with it.
• How to measure your child's feet at home — and actually get it right — Most shoe-sizing problems start before the shoe is bought. Here's the correct method, the common mistakes, and how often you actually need to do it.
• Astro turf or firm ground? The Dubai parent's guide to football boot surfaces — Most youth football in Dubai is played on 3G artificial turf. Most parents buy firm ground boots. Here's why that gap matters and how to get it right.
• The nerdy guide to running shoe foam (and why it matters more than you think) — From 1970s EVA to PEBA supercritical foam to carbon fibre plates — the material science inside modern running shoes, and why the difference between a £90 trainer and a £250 racer is mostly a chemistry problem.
• Are 'super shoes' good for children? What the science actually says — The foam and carbon plate technology behind elite adult running shoes is genuinely impressive. Here's why the developing foot needs something very different — and what to look for instead.
• Every pair your child outgrows has a 40-year afterlife — 22 billion pairs of shoes are thrown away every year. Most go straight into the ground — and they stay there for decades. Here's why kids make the problem worse, why recycling isn't the answer, and what actually helps.
• The washing-machine method for kids' sports shoes — A laundry bag, a cold cycle, and a homemade spray you can make in 30 seconds. How to keep kids' sports shoes genuinely clean — and why it makes them worth more when you sell.
• Match-day nutrition for young athletes in Dubai — Whether it's football, rugby, athletics or any other sport, Dubai's climate puts extra demand on young bodies. Here's what to feed them, when to hydrate, and how to help them recover properly.
• Why sports shoes need to fit now, not eventually — Buying a size up to grow into is the most common thing parents do. Here's what it actually costs.
• Why we started KISH — Two parents, too many football boots, and a WhatsApp group that didn't quite work.
• Outgrown football boots: a quick guide for parents — Six things to check before you buy a second-hand pair, and three signs to walk away.
• How we check every pair — "Checked" is the most important word on the site. Here's exactly what it means.