Shoes or no shoes for little ones?
For those who’ve just joined the fun, my name is Alana & I’m a Paediatric Physiotherapist from the Gold Coast, Australia.
If you want, you can learn more about me and what I’m all about here.
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It’s so nice to meet you!
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My hope is that through these little blogs of mine, parents out there will have access to the latest information and advice on baby development and paediatric physiotherapy, all in parent friendly language. They’re just snippets of information, hopefully easy to digest in the craziness of your day (I totally get it….I’m currently speed typing this as my baby has about an hour left of his nap and I’ve still got a load of washing to hang out) but if you’d like more and you’re new to the My Strong Little Body family, check out my other blog entries that I’ve been plugging away at for the last 6 months here.
For today, I’m going to dive quickly into baby feet and baby shoes.
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• A baby’s foot is predominantly made up of cartilage & soft tissue & is very flexible.
• It is normal for a baby to have very ‘flat feet’ up until the age of 2.
• As the ligaments and muscles of the feet stiffen, & as the bones develop, an arch will start to appear & is generally formed by about age 6.
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But what about footwear?
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Bare feet are best for the development of a baby’s foot muscles and ligaments.
• Bare feet are always best.
• This will allow baby’s foot (and leg!) muscles and ligaments to strengthen in the correct alignment as baby starts to stand and walk.
• A baby also needs to experience the sensation of the ground beneath their feet to learn about different surfaces, textures and temperatures.
• Bare foot standing & walking also improves body awareness & balance.
• There is no need to buy shoes for baby until they are walking. Socks are all they need!
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What to look for in a shoe
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• Start with a soft shoe with a very flexible sole. (Suede or leather are probably best but expensive)
• Grip underneath is important to help prevent slipping.
• As your toddler becomes more confident in walking, they need to progress to a more firm fitting shoe.
• Unless you’ve been specifically advised by a paediatric physio or podiatrist, you should not put your toddler in a shoe with a very stiff sole.
•Among many other fact sheets, there’s a beautifully detailed one on exactly what to look for in your child’s shoes in my eBook.
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Remember shoes are important to protect the feet, but allow bare feet as much as possible during the warmer months
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(or when visiting your mother in law who insists only homeless children don’t wear shoes….sigh ).