What is the best shoe for children?
Myths and false information abound about children’s shoes, and the footwear industry and even some pediatricians are not much help. The good news is once you understand what makes children’s feet unique, finding the right shoes—often inexpensively—for kids is easy.
At birth, the newborn’s foot is soft and flexible, and is loaded with fat. That fat cushions and protects our feet, but when we start to walk, the fat begins to disintegrate. In the coming decades, due to everyday walking—not to mention, perhaps tight fitting shoes—that fat will wear away allowing our foot bones and their rough edges to dig into our skin, often causing corns, callouses, blisters and other painful conditions. Ironically, feet are the only body part that loses fat as we age, yet it’s the one place we need it. I’ve often mused that perhaps some day we’ll go for a tummy tuck and walk out with plump, happy feet.
Besides fat, a newborn’s bones, muscles and ligaments, are incredibly soft and pliable. This is good and bad. It’s good because a baby that is born with a deformed foot often doesn’t need surgery. A brace or a cast can “push” the foot into its correct position. The downside of such a flexible foot is that if parents choose the wrong shoes or footwear for their children, they could create a deformity for their child.
Don’t be in a hurry to buy shoes for your child; wait until your children begin to walk, usually at 11 to 15 months of age. Even then, the MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO IS KEEP SHOES OFF YOUR CHILD’S FEET AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
I cannot emphasize this enough! The best “shoes” for your children is no shoes!
Allowing kids to walk barefoot on various surfaces, especially mildly uneven ones like you find in most backyards, fosters development of their foot’s muscles, ligaments, and balance.
Shoes Can Harm Your Child’s Feet
To see the effect shoes have on feet, scientists compared American feet to those of African natives who had never worn shoes. Most natives’ had a straight big toe, whereas the Americans’ big toe tilted toward the second toe, often causing a bunion—a bump on the inside of the foot. This deformed big toe is due, in part, to shoes curving inward at the toes, presumably to give feet a slender, pointed appearance.
Am I saying shoes are bad for your child’s feet? Yes! However, we need them though to prevent injuries and for warmth. The key is to make sure children only wear them when absolutely necessary.
Socks can also be a deforming force as well, limiting a baby or toddler’s ability to spread and wiggle their toes, and develop their toe muscles. Young children should only wear socks when in shoes. If you need to keep your child’s feet warm, use soft, loose fitting booties.
When shopping for shoes, choose a shoe with ample room for the child’s toes to move. I recommend a finger’s width of space at the tips of the toes, and to help your child avoid developing bunions, the shoe should have as little curvature as possible at the big toe. Look for shoes made of natural, breathable fabrics such as leather or canvas that are soft and pliable—just like your child’s feet. You want the foot protected but it should also “feel” the ground.
The traditional baby shoe with its stiff upper and hard sole is the worst thing for young feet.
Parents notice when their child outgrows a shirt, but not always when their shoes are too small. Children’s feet grow at different rates so the time to buy new shoes varies greatly. I’ve seen kids grow an entire shoe size in a month. If your child starts pulling off their shoes, it could mean they’ve outgrown them.
Lastly, consider shopping at a shoe store that specializes in children’s feet and has the expertise to ensure a proper fit.
Final Thoughts on Children’s Shoes
Shoes are not healthy for your child’s foot. However, they are necessary. The key is to make sure you buy a barefoot-friendly shoe and keep it off your child’s feet as much as possible.
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