Footwear in the Early Years of Life

The development of the foot during the early years of life is a fascinating and delicate process. At birth, the feet are composed mainly of cartilage and soft structures, which gradually strengthen and ossify. This ossification process continues until approximately 10 years of age, although the epiphyses of the long bones continue to develop until the end of growth, between 15 and 20 years.

In their early years, children’s feet often appear flat due to the abundance of subcutaneous fat and the lack of complete ossification. This condition is normal until 6-10 years of age. Surprisingly, until 8 months of age, babies’ feet have more sensory receptors than their hands. This extra sensitivity explains why babies constantly take off their socks; anything covering their feet can interfere with their exploration of the environment.

Until babies start walking, there is no need to put them in shoes. The main purpose of footwear before this stage is to protect against the cold, but even this should be evaluated. A useful trick is to put on socks or booties only if you also put on gloves, ensuring that they really need that protection. That said, culturally it is very difficult to leave feet bare, especially the feet of a baby. In that case, always lean towards soft, thin, seamless socks or footwear.

Once the child begins to walk, footwear adds a protective function against bumps and injuries. Traditionally, rigid shoes were used with the intention of correcting or preventing deformities. However, current research suggests that many of these “deformities” are simply normal stages in the development of a physiologically soft foot, which will benefit from being barefoot or covered by soft, loose, flexible footwear with a thin sole and no heel.

Although it may be tempting to inherit shoes from older siblings or cousins, it is best to avoid this practice. The insole of the shoe deforms to adapt to the specific anatomy of each foot, and the outer sole does not wear evenly, so using second-hand footwear is not ideal.

In summary, footwear in the early years of life should meet specific characteristics that allow for free movement of the foot and healthy development. Whenever possible, encourage them to walk and play barefoot.