Naturally Healthy Little Feet

How to Promote Good Foot Health for your Kids

As a new mom and a chiropractor, I’ve noticed that footwear for kids seems to be a hot topic at the office lately. Some of the most common questions from parents relate to picking out shoes and boots. “How do I make sure that my child has the proper support in their shoes and boots?” they ask, along with “How do I ensure proper foot development?”
Footwear philosophies and recommendations for children have changed significantly since I was a kid. Most of us grew up hearing that shoes with proper support were ideal. It was also thought that shoes should be somewhat rigid so the foot had limited motion.
I remember my mother pondering footwear for my sister and me in the late 1970s. Mom went to our family physician for advice and was told that my sister had high arches. The recommendation was to buy very supportive shoes. Boy, have times changed! Nowadays, I give parents completely opposite advice than the conventional wisdom from 30 years ago.
From a chiropractic perspective, the body is seen as being extremely intelligent. Your body wants to be healthy and will adapt to the environment around it every single time in order to more closely approach a state of health and well-being. If we carry this notion over to foot health, we assume that the foot will develop the strength it needs if given the chance. We might also assume that any external support provided to a foot (for example, rigid and supportive footwear) might result in muscle and structure weakness.
Recent and not-so-recent research in the fields of podiatry and pediatric orthopedics reflect this philosophy. There is also a growing body of evidence that supports the hypothesis that cultures which wear shoes have more foot problems, such as bunions, hammer toes, ingrown toenails and blisters, than those which go barefoot or use shoes solely for foot protection.
Babies are born with completely flat and very soft, almost “pudgy” feet. The feet strengthen as a child begins to walk and the arches of the foot will usually start forming within the first few years of life.
My recommendation for parents is that barefoot is best and shoes should only be worn when necessary. Going barefoot on uneven surfaces, such as sand or grass, is especially beneficial to children as this further encourages proper development of those tiny little feet.
Thankfully, many shoe companies are starting to reflect these minimalist philosophies in their products. However, some companies still market children’s shoes by implying that they offer “superior support.” A simple Google search results in many websites that sell “supportive” footwear to parents who want to “prevent foot problems later on in life.”
But, assuming that your child does not have any pain or discomfort in the feet, knees or elsewhere, the bottom line is that it’s beneficial to allow your children to go barefoot as much as possible so the structures in their feet develop properly. Shoes in childhood should be used as a way to protect feet from surface injuries, such as scratches and cuts, as well as from extreme weather (think a scorching sidewalk or a frigid Ottawa blizzard).
The little slipper type shoes that many children are sporting these days are fantastic! Look for something with a soft sole that is flexible. This type of footwear will allow feet the freedom to move, develop and strengthen over time.
This same philosophy can carry over into adulthood, assuming that your feet have had an opportunity to develop in a healthy way. Adults who haven’t gone barefoot often in recent years will want to slowly increase the time that they go without support under their feet in order to allow adaptation and strengthening over time.
If your child is having foot problems, I recommend that you consult with your chiropractor or other healthcare professional and keep in mind that corrective shoes or orthotics are valid treatment options. However, if your child seems to have healthy feet, just allow those little feet to strengthen and develop . . . naturally! v