Did you know that 98% of all children are born with healthy feet? However, throughout life, children are put into shoes that are poorly shaped or simply do not fit the shape of their feet. Thick soles, high heels, and narrow toe areas deform the toes and restrict the feet.
By choosing footwear that mimics barefoot walking, we give feet what they long for — freedom.
Physiotherapists and pediatricians agree that the best footwear for healthy and normal foot development is barefoot-style shoes that allow feet to move as they would if walking barefoot.
Leonardo da Vinci already said that human feet are an engineering masterpiece, but we usually only realize their importance when an injury occurs. Some foot development irregularities are congenital, while others result from inappropriate footwear. Parents, out of ignorance, put used shoes on their children, imposing incorrect walking patterns and contributing to the development of poor movement habits.
In an effort to make shoes last longer, parents often buy shoes that are too large or insist on ones that are too small. This hinders the child and discourages appropriate activities. Today, there is increasing emphasis in the professional community on views supported by scientific research that completely refute the old belief that a child needs hard shoes with a high heel counter and arch support for proper foot development. To enable the most correct and smooth development of a child's foot, the foot must be left as free as possible.
Excessive muscle support is not beneficial, as it weakens them and limits movement.
Research has confirmed that supporting the foot arch in a normally developed child's foot has no positive effects, as the child must build the arches muscularly. This means by loading the foot, bearing weight, balancing, and standing on the toes. Therefore, footwear should be as soft and comfortable as possible, with a flat, soft, and flexible sole, and a heel counter that is not too high or too stiff. When choosing the first shoes, we must realize that their primary purpose is protection from cold and preventing slipping when standing on the feet.
