all you need to know about your children'S feet

Babies’ feet are very soft and mostly made of cartilage in the first years of life. Their bones are still forming, and they have a thick layer of fat that makes their feet look chubby. This is why it’s important not to restrict their feet with tight or rigid shoes, as it could affect the natural shape and growth.

Let's check what their foot bones look like. 

Pictures below will let you understand how babies' feet are developed.

Dear parents, children’s feet are developing structures, and the absence of an arch is a typical stage of development. The developing foot is not structurally ‘flat’; it is a highly compliant and plastic, that can respond to multiple factors, many of which we do not understand. Detailed X-RAY pictures above, let us understand that babies' foot bones are not connected till the teen years. Only at the age of 14, we may consider that the bones in the feet are developed and have reached their connections. 

At the age of 18, we have fully completed foot structure, where muscles and bones create the whole support system.

Flat feet are a normal stage of development for children under the age of 3. The arch on the inside of the foot has not yet formed, and as children grow and walk, the soft tissues in the feet gradually tighten, shaping the arch over time. Most children have what is called a flexible flatfoot, where the arch only appears when they sit, tiptoe, or when the big toe is gently bent back.

Flexible flatfoot is very common and usually painless. It does not stop children from walking, running, or playing sports, and most children outgrow it naturally without any problems later in life. If a child has no pain or discomfort, no treatment is needed. Stiff shoes or arch-support insoles will not change the shape of the foot — they simply hold the foot in a fixed position, which is not necessary for healthy feet. (thanks for the detailed information to York and Scarborough teaching hospitals)

The best way to help feet develop naturally is through movement. Walking barefoot on different surfaces, gentle stretching, and strengthening exercises help build muscles and encourage healthy arches to form over time.

That's why wearing shoes, which won't restrict healthy movement, is key. Barefoot-style shoes are a perfect combination of comfort and protection. 

The only thing you need to take care of is the length of the shoe's insole. 

Now we know, that foot bones are not connected till a kid reaches 14, that's why it is very important to make sure the length of the shoes will fit the actual length of the foot.

Kids grow fast, we recommend checking their feet length regularly, at least once in 3-4 months, and changing the shoes according to the actual size of your child's foot.

While your child is not walking, he doesn't need shoes at all. 

When they start their first steps, make sure the sole is super flexible, to let them feel what they step on. For the best results, babies should go barefoot indoors as much as possible and wear barefoot shoes only when protection is needed outdoors.

Our feet are connected neurologically to our brain; that's why it is the number one reason why we need to feel the ground. It helps the brain to give the right and highly structured commands to move.

Later, when kids freely walk and run, wearing barefoot shoes encourages healthy muscle and arch development. They help kids build strength in their toes, ankles, and legs.