Growing feet must be properly cared for if they're to take the long journey through adulthood. We get the lowdown on what parents should consider when children start standing on their own two feet.
Our feet are all too often the most neglected part of our bodies. Repeatedly shoved
into a pair of shoes and forgotten about, our feet nonetheless do an extraordinary job. Over the course of a lifetime, they will carry us an incredible 128,000km - the equivalent of walking around the world three times. Our feet are destined to do a lot of overtime, so when it comes to foot health, it's imperative the right steps are taken from an early age.
According to the Australian Podiatry Association (WA), a critical period for the long-term health of feet is the first three years of life. This is when feet are rapidly developing, when the bones in a child's feet are soft and easily damaged by constricting shoes or socks and where foot problems in adulthood usually originate. It's also the time that toddlers start to walk. So just when is the right time to put a child into footwear, and what type of footwear is appropriate?
Best foot forward
HBF Family Doctor, Dr Duncan Jefferson, says walking around barefoot is the best scenario for toddlers because it strengthens the small muscles in the foot and assists them in developing balance and co-ordination.
"We don't have rigid structures put on our hands when we're a toddler," he says, "and our feet are similar to our hands in that they need the tactile stimulation from the surfaces they touch when they walk to develop the coordination of using the individual muscles in the foot."
Going barefoot for at least two months will help teach a toddler to walk well, Dr Duncan suggests, and unless it's to protect their feet from gravelly surfaces or sharp objects, a child doesn't need to wear shoes until around the age of three.
President of the Australasian Podiatry Council, Perth-based Matthew Slattery, says once a young child's feet are ready for footwear, parents should select shoes that are flexible and broad, with a soft, flat, non-slip sole.
Footwear that is made of soft leather or fabrics is recommended, and laces are preferable to Velcro straps as they provide greater support - just be sure to undo the laces each time you remove the shoes, rather than simply pulling them off.
Plastic shoes, or those made of synthetic material that doesn't breathe, should be avoided, as should narrow, rigid shoes that cramp a toddler's foot and compress the bones.
Parents of toddlers living in Western Australia's warm climate should consider an open shoe such as a sandal, Dr Duncan advises, which allows for the foot to be touched and stimulated. Thongs, he points out, "add an extra dimension of instability" for toddlers, and should not be considered a viable alternative option.
One style of shoe that should be sidestepped altogether is a raised heel, says Mr Slattery. As fashionable as they may be, shoes any higher than a regular school-shoe height is not considered appropriate for young children's feet.
"If the heel is going to drive the foot forward into the shoes, it could cause cramping of the toes, skin irritations and rashes, so they're not a good idea for children," he says.
As for the long-term damage a heeled shoe can cause, Dr Duncan adds: "Over time they'll cause increased pain, pressure areas over both sides of the foot and over the bunion bones, callus formation and clawing of the toes. Plus, they cause lower back problems because the wearer has to correct their posture when they walk in them. From a foot-health point of view they're a disaster."
If the shoe fits
Aside from shoe shapes and styles, the most important factor in deciding on footwear for a toddler is correct fit. Ill-fitting children's shoes can cause painful foot problems in adulthood, Mr Slattery explains, and the best way of preventing these problems is by having a child's shoes professionally fitted.
"A child's feet should be measured for length and width each time their parent takes them in to get new shoes," he says.
Parents should also check the size of the shoes against the size of their child's foot "every two to three months up until they're six years of age", says Mr Slattery.
"A correct-fitting shoe should have a firm heel cup so that it gives the child's heel good support, it should flex at the toes and there should be enough room for the child to comfortably wiggle their toes," he says.
"There should be a thumb-width difference between the end of the longest toe - remembering some people's second toe can be longer than the first - and the end of the shoe. There should also be adequate width, so check that the foot is not hanging over the side of the sole."
Another matter parents should be aware of when determining the correct fit for their child
is inward-turning feet.
Some toddlers walk pigeon-toed, with either or both feet curving slightly inwards. In most cases, Dr Duncan says, children will outgrow this without intervention.
Parents of toddlers exhibiting signs of in-toeing should, however, be extra cautious when fitting them in shoes.
"In these circumstances, you've got to be mindful, when fitting them in footwear, that it conforms to the shape of their feet and isn't going to cause further problems for them from tripping over it," he says.
Ill-fitting shoes can cause numerous problems for a young child, Mr Slattery insists, and because children "rarely complain about specific pain", parents should be alert to the warning signs.
"If they've constantly got achy legs at night or painful feet when they go for a walk, or don't want to go for a walk because they get tired early, that should be taken note of," he says.
"Also, if there are signs of rubbing, irritation, redness or rashes, then it's more than likely their shoes are not fitting properly."
The practice of toe-walking - walking on the toes, and not using the heels - is not uncommon among young children, Mr Slattery says, and is usually a habit they grow out of, but if it continues then professional advice should be sought before it is too late.
Parents should also take their child to a podiatrist, Mr Slattery advises, "if they notice uneven wearing of their child's shoes, lumps or bumps on their feet, if the child seems to be experiencing feet or leg pain or if their child is constantly tripping and falling".
TEN gripping feet facts
- There are 52 bones in a pair of feet - that's a quarter of all the body's bones.
- The average child will take its first steps at around 13 to 17 months - but between 10 and 18 months falls within the ‘normal' range.
- Around 10cm long at birth, the feet of a baby will double in size by the time of their first birthday, reaching almost half their adult size.
- At six months of age a baby's foot is still mostly cartilage; by 18 months, most of the bones are fully formed.
- Most toddlers are flat-footed when they first start walking because of poor muscle tone and weak ligaments in their feet.
- By the time they're six months of age, babies will become aware of and begin to play with both their feet.
- Feet grow rapidly during childhood - generally a child requires the size of their shoes and socks to be changed every few months.
- By age 12, a child's foot is about 90% of its adult length.
- It's rare that both a person's feet are exactly the same; one is often larger than the other.
- In a pair of feet there are 250,000 sweat glands, which produce approximately 500ml of perspiration daily.
Source: Australian Podiatry Association
Article by Andrew Turner, writen for the HBF member magazine Everyday.
If you would like to read more interesting articles like this, visit AskTed.com.au.
(November 2006) (
