I think we tend to take feet for granted, until we reach that time in our life when our feet hurt! A lot! Proper foot care should begin from the time we are born. If that care continues on throughout our childhood and well into adulthood, our feet should serve us well our entire lives.
Good foot care should begin from the time we are born.
Our feet are made for walking, and in the case of children, running, jumping,
hopping, climbing, skipping, ....well, you get the picture. The job of the foot is to support the body and absorb shock. We know that our feet have bones, but we
don’t often think about them having muscles and ligaments, or that we need to
strengthen, stretch out, and exercise them, just like we do other parts of our
bodies. Our toes should be able to move independently of one another and we
should be able to grasp objects with our toes. Ideally, our feet should be free of
corns, callouses, bunions and crooked toes. Unfortunately most of these maladies are caused by ill-fitting shoes and are avoidable. Foot problems can also be the cause of leg issues and back discomfort. So what can we as parents do to ensure our children have healthy feet?
Our feet are made for walking, running, climbing...
Children’s feet are not just miniature versions of adult feet. A child’s foot is mostly muscle, ligaments and tough but flexible cartilage and has very few bones. The cartilage will slowly calcify over the years, and by the time they reach adulthood, they will have 26 bones in their foot. Until then, their feet are very flexible and malleable. Many podiatrists recommend that children be allowed to go barefoot as much as possible in their younger years. You will often notice your little ones “exercising” their feet and toes when barefoot. Being shoeless allows your child’s foot to grow and form normally and the instinctive
exercising will help to strengthen their feet. You can help your child by encouraging them to play “pick up” games with their toes and help in stretching
by gently moving their feet from side to side and up and down.
Little kids who are allowed to go barefoot will instinctively exercise their feet,
stretching and curling their toes, twisting their ankles...
Of course, there are times when footwear is necessary and appropriate. When it
comes to choosing shoes for our kids, there are literally thousands of options
available, and unfortunately, many of the shoe styles are simply not good for our
kids. As tempted as we are to dress our kids up like us, forcing stylish shoes on
our children may not be the best option. There are three things that should be
considered in deciding on shoes for your child. First is flexibility, you should be
able to easily bend the shoe. Second, the shoe should have a wide toe box,
allowing the toes room to move. Shoes with pointed or tapered toes are a poor
option as they force the toes into an unnatural position and squish them all
together. Third, the shoes should be lightweight. Heavy, stiff shoes do not allow
the feet to function as intended and you may notice your child falling often. Be
careful with open-toed shoes and sandals that allow your child’s foot to slide out
the front so that their feet are part way off the sole of the shoe. How uncomfortable can that be for a kid! Pick a size that will allow comfort, that is not too small, but that is not too large either. Shoes that are too small can cause discomfort and malformation of toes. Shoes that are too large can cause tripping and falling, which can be hazardous. And as much as we are tempted, don’t put your young one in shoes with elevated heels. Doing so can cause a myriad of issues such as lack of balance, increased falls, causing weight to be thrust on the toes and ball of the foot, curled toes and shortened Achilles’ tendons. It’s a healthy idea to wait until you child is in their late teens before allowing heels. When it comes to our feet, a proper shoe, nice fit and comfort are so much more important in the long run than being stylish. As always, if you have concerns about the development of your child’s feet, be sure to talk to your doctor, pediatrician or podiatrist. They are the ones best equipped to diagnose, treat and offer suggestions that will best fit the foot needs of your child. As parents, let’s do our part to help our children have a good start to healthy feet that will last them a lifetime!
Sources
https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/a35320803/best-shoes-kids/
https://healthfully.com/how-to-fix-hammer-toe-on-children-5716658.html
https://drdina.ca/high-heels-little-girl-lifelong-harm/