kids foot health

Barefoot Shoes and Kids Foot Health

• Anatomy of children’s feet

• Medical experts’ recommendation

• What to look for when purchasing children shoes

• Demonstration of KidOFit Shoes

Anatomy

26 bones, 19 muscles, 107 ligaments plus an array of delicate blood vessels

Anatomy

Anatomy

If the cartilage is deformed by badly shaped or rigid shoes, the bones will take on the deformed shape

Anatomy

Anatomy

6 months 2 years 5 years

The Effect of Shoes

The Effect of Shoes

Dr. Lee Bivings, a pediatrician from Atlanta, estimates that 99% of new born babies have perfectly normal feet

The Effect of Shoes

He found out that in his clinic more than 60% of babies have acquired foot problems at six years of age because of ill-fitted shoes

The Effect of Shoes

Barefoot Is Best Medical experts worldwide agree that barefoot walking is the best thing for both healthy foot development and for proper posture development

Barefoot Walking

Barefoot Walking

Better Proprioception

The information about movement and ground forces comes from the nerves on the soles of our feet

Barefoot Walking

Dr. Wikler, DPM: “Children who had the opportunity of going barefoot a great deal had less deformed toes, greater flexor strength, and denser muscles on the bottom of the feet”

Physiological Shoe

“An ideal physiological shoe, the equivalent of bare-footedness, would keep babies' feet normal until six years of age!”

Dr. Lee Bivings:

Important Shoe Features

“To develop a physiological shoe and have it widely distributed is not easy, as I found out by personal experience.”

Dr. Lee Bivings:

Physiological Shoe


Flat, Thin Sole

The best soles are protective, while simulating barefoot conditions, meaning, flat and thin, without heels, arch supports or other molding" features. Soling material should be slip-resistant, shock absorbing and flexible..

Second Skin


Cushioning Insole

Flat Sole


As close as it gets to barefoot walking

Flexible


Flexible shoes allow the foot and ankle to develop most. When choosing a shoe, you should be able to easily bend it to insure that it adapts to the surface, and that it allows free foot movement.

Soft Interior


The interior lining should be soft and smooth to avoid irritation. The best material is fabric, padded with foam, similar to the one in athletic shoes.

Wide Toe Box


Infant and toddler shoes require a correspondingly much bigger toe area than the shape of an adult shoe. Shoes with wide toe boxes enable the child to wriggle their toes freely, and allow their toes to spread without constriction.

Easy On and Off


The opening to the shoe should be wide enough to enable the foot to slip in easily, without having to squeeze the toes in any way.


An elastic collar stretches around the heel to conform to the individual foot width.

Elastic Collar

Elastic Collar


It also helps with getting the foot into the shoe without having to squeeze the toes.

Heel Strap


All KidOFit shoes are constructed with a heel strap in the back portion of the shoe, enabling the adjustment of the grip around the heel, and eliminating slippage.

Transparent Sole


All KidOFit shoes come with transparent soles, which provide a clear view of the child’s toes, and allow for checking how the foot is positioned inside the shoe.

Fitting Inserts


A set of inserts, which comes with the shoes, can be used to reduce the space inside the shoe when the fit is too wide or too loose. As the foot grows, the inserts can be removed, extending the lifespan of the shoe.

Shoe Last


Since foot shape is changing as the foot grows the shoes were constructed on three different lasts

Different Lasts


Last A: sizes 4 to 6 Last B: sizes 6.5 to 9 Last C: sizes 9.5 to 12

High profile shape


Sizes 4 to 6

Barefoot Comfort – Customized Fit

www.kidofit.com

kids foot health

Health & Medicine