Healthy FeetWhy medical experts recommend Robeez baby shoes |
Doctors and other medical experts around the world agree that soft-soled leather shoes like Robeez are the next best thing to bare feet for your little one’s healthy development.
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What's best for your child's growing feet?
You count each precious toe, wiggle each tiny piggy, kiss each chubby sole. But you may not think about the fact that your baby's soft, adorable feet will eventually carry him or her over thousands of miles in a lifetime. To make the journey, healthy foot development is important from day one.
Doctors and other medical experts around the world agree that soft, flexible soled shoes are the next best thing to bare feet for your child's foot development.
The APMA Seal of Acceptance
The American Podiatric Medical Association's Seal of Acceptance is awarded to products which promote normal foot function. All Robeez footwear products, including Robeez Soft Soles, Robeez Booties, and Robeez Tredz, carry this prestigious seal.
Robeez' soft, flexible soled footwear support normal foot development by allowing a child's foot to develop naturally. Stiff shoes inhibit a baby's growing muscles from strengthening and balancing with the foot and leg. Learning to walk in bare feet is best for a baby's natural foot development. But often the walking surface is cold, hot, or rough, and sensitive little feet need protection. In these situations, doctors recommend that children wear soft-soled shoes so they're protected and can still feel the ground, flex their feet, and grip with their toes.
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- Please tell us your name and your specialty.
My name is Ronald L. Valmassy. I am a Podiatrist. I have a particular interest in the development and function of the child's foot. I am a staff podiatrist at the Center for Sports Medicine at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco.
- Please describe what is going on in a toddler’s foot when she learns to walk. How do the toes grip the ground and how does the foot become strong?
When a child initiates ambulation, the muscles, bones, and joints are developing in such a fashion as to improve the foundation of the child's body. When the child first initiates ambulation, their foot is fat, flat, and floppy, with no arch and a significant fat pad in the area of the arch. The child's foot generally appears quite flattened; this is generally a fairly stable base of support. As a child begins to become more efficient with their walking activities, the foot becomes stronger, the ranges of motion become less, and the foot slowly develops an arch. As this occurs, there is a gripping motion of the toes that occurs for stability. This is generally influenced by what are called the intrinsic muscles of the foot. These are the short muscles in the foot that help to develop the arch.
- When do you recommend infants start wearing shoes?
It is appropriate for a non-walking child to wear shoes for the sake of protection. A soft flexible covering of a natural material such as leather is certainly appropriate for a child's foot. As the child initiates ambulation, I feel that utilizing some type of a protective cover is also appropriate whether indoors or outdoors. The shoe should be made of natural materials such as leather and should not restrict the developing child's foot movement or motion. A shoes that contours well with the foot and the area of the heel and the arch and the ball of the foot, works best for a child. Being able to slip the shoe on and off the child's foot is beneficial as well.
- What is it about Robeez Soft Soles that allow the toddler to walk as if barefoot? Is this the optimum way to learn to walk?
The effectiveness of Robeez soft-soled leather shoes is that it does provide protection for the child's foot when walking, and it does allow the normal amount of foot movement and motion to occur. There is no restriction of the normal contraction of the muscles, and the muscles are allowed to work and develop step after step, allowing the child's foot to become stronger and more efficient. Is this the optimum way to learn to walk? If the child's foot is a normal foot, then clearly this is the optimum way to learn to walk. This will allow all the muscles to develop in a normal fashion and it will allow the muscles of the leg to also develop normally. However, in cases where there is an element of excessive flattening of the foot, a flexible show may actually allow greater foot flattening to occur, which would not enhance improvement of foot development.
- How does the structure of Tredz affect a child's foot development?
The overall features of the Tredz do allow the child's foot to develop in a normal fashion. The shoe is flexible enough that it does not inhibit the ability of the child's foot muscles to function properly and to develop properly. The materials allow the child's skin to breathe and do not restrict the normal perspiration which occurs. The materials will be instrumental in protecting the child's foot from any stray foreign objects, which might otherwise injure the child's foot.
- Are balance and coordination enhanced with soft-soled shoes and booties?
We refer to one's ability to sense their position in space as proprioception. Allowing the muscles to work to their fullest does allow balance and coordination to occur. The more flexible the shoe, the more the foot muscles will work. If a shoe is too stiff or solid, the muscles will be inhibited in their attempt to maintain balance of the child's foot and leg.
- Do the feet grow as strong with Robeez Soft Soles as when walking barefoot?
For a normally developing child, I feel that this type of shoe will allow the foot to grow and develop as normally as when walking barefoot. These shoes do provide some degree and element of support, and I feel that the support structures inherent to this shoe are beneficial in allowing the child's foot to develop normally.
- Do toddlers need hard leather shoes or can their foot muscles support them just fine?
If the child's foot is developing in a normal fashion, the child does not need a hard leather soled shoe; in fact, a hard inflexible shoe can inhibit the child's ability to have their foot develop in a normal fashion. On the other hand, if the child is developing with a significant flat footed problem where there is too much movement or motion of their foot their muscles may tend to be incapable of allowing normal walking to occur. A stiffer hard leather type of shoe will be most helpful. In cases where I am treating children who have gait problems associated with abnormal flattening of their foot, I always recommend the use of a stiffer soled leather shoe.
- Is there an infant who could not benefit from a soft-soled shoe?
I feel that soft-soled shoes are excellent for the normally developing child and for those children who may have mild issues with abnormal foot flattening. I feel that children who have severe foot problems and tend to be quite flat footed, would most likely perform better with a supportive shoe that would restrict the motion of their foot and provide a more stable base of support.
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Tips for Healthy Foot Development
From those early months into the toddler years, parents can promote proper development by following some of these simple tips:
- Allow some wiggle room
Tight clothes, socks, or covers can restrict movement; instead, keep feet loosely covered. "One step, two step, tickle under there." Using simple games such as "This Little Piggie," baby has an opportunity to flex growing muscles, preparing feet for weight-bearing activities.
- Change of scenery
Staying in one position for too long can put excess strain on the feet and legs.
"Look what you can do." As your child gets older, have them pick up a pencil or blanket with their toes to promote healthy foot development.
- Growing like a weed
On average, your child's feet will grow two full sizes a year until age four or five. Measure feet regularly to ensure a proper fit.
- Be patient
As exciting as those first steps are, your child will walk when he or she is physically and emotionally ready. Most children learn to walk between nine and 18 months, depending on the development of the required muscular strength. If your child is still not walking by 18 months, have a discussion with your pediatrician.
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