How to choose toddler shoes and the shape of his feet

Every child's toddler step is the joy of the parents. At this point, you need to choose to buy for your baby the right shoes to support your child walking.

The leg has a complex structure of 26 bones and 35 joints. The joints are joined together and supported by ligaments. Children begin to walk from 8-18 months. Most toddlers have flat soles or inward-facing feet as muscles and ligaments are in the process of developing. Therefore, you should choose the shoes that best match your child's feet.

1. How to choose suitable shoes for children

Choosing footwear is an important part of helping children move and be protected. Do not choose shoes with hard and unstable soles, causing pain, blistering, and difficulty walking children. Toddlers usually don't need shoes until they are walking for two months, you need to buy shoes to protect their feet from sharp objects.

It is important that you keep your baby barefoot regularly to help him develop balance, coordination and gait. When choosing footwear, be careful about what size it should fit, by measuring each foot length and width. Babies' feet develop very quickly and shoe sizes need to change after a few months. Tight shoes can prevent children from walking, ingrown nails or bursitis to the big toe.

Some of the best options in choosing shoes for toddlers:

The shoe is sturdy, comfortable in both length and width

Cover your toes, keeping your toes out

Simple shoes

Heel support

There should be laces or patches to hold the foot in, to avoid slipping of the foot inside the shoe.

2. Identify the shape of the child's feet

Flat feet

Normal soles of the feet have a certain degree of curvature formed by the muscles and ligaments. During the first two years of life, your baby's soles have less curvature. Young children with  flat legs  are normal due to weak muscles, large fat pads, loose ankle ligaments that cause their legs to point inward.

As your child walks well, the ligaments and muscles strengthen and the pad is in an area of ​​imperceptible curvature. Around the age of 5, the child's soles of the feet are arched normally in both legs.

 Feet inward

Many toddlers have a dove-like gait with one or both feet facing inward. In most cases, this is simply a sign of growth (standing, walking, sitting) and balance. This problem does not require medical intervention and will go away on its own after 3-5 years of age.

If your child still shows signs of pointing inward and does not improve, take him to a specialist hospital for a correct assessment. This symptom may be related to a number of hip joint problems.

Feet facing out

This rare condition, when walking with a child's feet outward, is common in premature babies. In most cases, this will go away as you walk and keep your balance better. However, if you are concerned about this problem, you can take your child to a specialist for examination.

Signs that the baby's feet have a problem

See your doctor if you are concerned about your child's foot shape or movement if you notice:

The toes are abnormally shaped

Ingrown toenails cause pain

Big toe bursitis or other deformities of the foot

Hard feet

Limp legs

Children feel pain when walking or crossing their legs when walking

Have serious inward or outward-facing foot problems

Flat feet over 5 years

Sudden change in the child's gait

2-year-old child that cannot walk.