Show us your feet, show us your shoes!
We protect our children throughout their lives, they are the most precious thing in our lives. We accompany them and do everything we can to ensure that our children are well. We also have to protect their feet. When children start walking between 12 and 18 months, we are delighted. After that, children's feet receive less attention.
At this age, children's shoes must not only protect against the cold and injuries, but also be flexible.
The toe bones are still soft and the bones are not yet formed. Protection is provided by a thick layer of fat, which makes children's feet appear so cuddly. The skeleton of the foot is not fully formed until the age of four, and the arch of the foot is completed by the age of six. However, development is far from complete.
It takes until the age of 14 for the foot to finally become that marvel of bones, muscles and tendons that will carry its owner around the world about three times in the course of his or her life.
26 bones are connected to each other via 33 joints and are stabilized and held together by 114 ligaments. 20 muscles and strong tendons ensure a firm stance. At the same time, the foot is elastic and adaptable; the arch of the foot keeps it in balance.
Each stimulus strengthens the muscles, strengthens the bones and stimulates the sensory system.
Children's shoes are often far too small and unsuitable. Over time, misalignments develop. If the shoes are too small, the feet have too little space and too little freedom of movement. If the shoes are too big, children try to compensate for the lack of space with their toes and the whole foot to avoid slipping out of the shoes. Deformities are inevitable.
Children's feet have not yet developed the necessary sensitivity. This is why children rarely complain when they feel pressure.
The consequences can occur in adolescence or later: Joint pain, muscle shortening, circulatory disorders, growth disorders. This is not only evident in the feet: a misalignment can affect the entire musculoskeletal system, including the jaw.
Insoles are not necessary for healthy feet. Children's feet usually straighten from the age of six. If a foot misalignment causes discomfort, an orthopaedist should be consulted in good time to clarify the causes and find a conservative treatment such as insoles, foot exercises and sport as quickly as possible.
However, there may also be various problems in the background, such as muscle weakness, muscle shortening, growth disorders, overloading or minor injuries to the foot or leg. Lack of exercise can also lead to problems.
A regular fit check is important when buying shoes. Children's feet grow very quickly at a rate of one millimeter or more per month and often in spurts. Children's feet grow two to four sizes per year between the ages of two and six. Of course, there are exceptions. At school age, it is one to two sizes.
