12 Nov Confused about when to start getting a pair of shoes for your child 

The popular trend of thought is that barefoot walking is great for children to develop their foot muscles and by being able to directly feel the ground, provide feedback for balance. The argument against having shoes for children is that poor fitting shoes can be restrictive and cause damage to a child’s growing feet  As a result many parents avoid getting shoes for their toddlers, and instead purchase thin leather soled decorative shoes or sock shoes for their toddlers.

However, often times, there are good reasons why shoes are actually better for your child  as they start to learn to walk.

Top 3 reasons why shoes are good for your toddler.

1. When your child has low muscle tone, they actually need more stability and support in their ankles and feet to help them improve their balance to learn to walk. In this case, good supportive shoes  will help them to find their balance and learn to walk sooner.

2. When your toddler is walking well and their ankles are rolling in with their mid foot bones collapsing down. In this case, your toddler will actually be causing their foot bones to develop abnormally. A good pair of shoes will actually provide better support and prevent malformation of the foot bones. 

3. When your toddler has feet that turn in or out, causing them to trip on their own feet when walking. Wearing good straight-laced shoes  will actually help to correct their feet and reduce the trips and falls.

Not all shoes are created equal, and finding the right shoes for your toddler can be challenging. That is why at My Favourite Physio, we have worked hard to source the right shoe supplier to provide us with a selection of supportive shoes for toddlers. We provide a thorough assessment of your child’s feet, their walking patterns, and recommend the best type of footwear for your child.

Let us help you take the stress out of shoe shopping for your toddler’s first shoes today! If you have concerns about your toddler’s feet or the way they are walking, ring My Favourite Physio on (02) 9790 4233 to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists today