Two new pairs of shoes arrived yesterday. It actually made my day. And they weren’t even for me! They were, of course, for the boss of the house, Harvey. Who’s currently cruising around the house like a champion, very nearly ready to take his first steps. Buying him shoes at this point, was not on the agenda, as I will explain below. But learning to walk, loving being outside and wintery (sometimes…rarely) rainy days means that socks just won’t cut it!
Why shoes weren’t on the agenda
I don’t believe in shoes. Well, I believe in them, they’re real. But I believe they do more harm than good to our feet. Ill-fitting, poorly made, only for aesthetics, too small, too big or worn out; all these are reasons why shoes may harm your feet.
As anyone with sore feet will tell you, FEET ARE IMPORTANT. Not just for walking, but feet also give an enormous amount of feedback to your brain about:
- Where you are
- What surface you’re standing on
- Is it sloped?
- It is uneven?
- Is it soft, hard, giving way…?
This feedback allows your brain to switch on and off certain muscles that keep your balance.
But sometimes your feet get it wrong. Or your brain does. Or the messages do. Improper foot function can send mixed messages or simply the wrong message to the brain. In response the brain switches on and off those aforementioned muscles to keep you ‘balanced’, when you are likely, already balanced. This switching on and off of muscles, can and does lead to knee, hip, pelvis and spinal problems, as the body doesn’t have the correct feedback loops happening and therefore the muscles aren’t functioning in the correct way.
So what causes improper foot function?
Like anything with the body’s function, the answer is multi-faceted. However, shoes (the topic of this post!) have a lot to do with it.
“Ill-fitting, poorly made, only for aesthetics, too small, too big or worn out; all these are reasons why shoes may harm your feet.”
– Said I, a few paragraphs earlier
I love ugg boots as much as the next person, but slouching around in them all day causes your to clench your toes to hold them on. This can tighten the muscles in the bottom of the feet. This is just one example. High heels that shorten the Achille’s tendon, shoes that are too tight scrunching up the feet, and I could go on.
Little, developing, exploring the world feet đź‘Ł
These are the feet I am most concerned with.
Children, from the moment of conception, are learning through movement. Those spontaneous movements in the womb occur as the result of reflexes, and continue until we are a few months old when we start to move more purposefully. These movements are building a map of the body and where it is in space. This is proprioception. When a child starts moving more purposefully, they are still exploring their surroundings; learning about gravity, resistance, pushing, pulling, where their arms and legs are. Those gross motor movements, develop into fine motor movements where you see something like the pincer grip emerge.
Learning to stand, balance, walk and then run requires the brain to know exactly where everything is, most importantly the feet. Those little feet need to feel the ground whether it be carpet, floorboards, tiles, grass, dirt or concrete. Those tootsies need to feel ALL OF IT!
Imagine you’re trying to type and someone has stuck cotton wool to the ends of all your fingers. It’s going to be hard to feel where the keys are to type. Having shoes, or even socks, puts a barrier between the child and their brain. They can’t feel the surface, the unevenness, the texture or even the temperature difference. All this sensory feedback that helps to develop and acute awareness of the body, essential for coordinated movement.
However, my little darling is learning to walk in Winter. It rained today, the first time in I don’t know how long. But it’s been cold lately too. And I mean frosty ⛄️ cold. Ok, not snowing. But ❄️ ice cold. And I just can’t take him out in bare feet đź‘Ł or even just socks 🧦 He needs shoes. So we have chosen very carefully. They need to:
- Look good – we can’t throw aesthetics straight out the window
- Have a very soft sole – OK, this is the most important point *****
- Give him freedom to move naturally
- Be easy to get on and off
- Did I mention they need to look good?
I’ve done a LOT of research. Both my own and asking some well-informed friends who have walked this path before Harvey and I (pun totally intended) and here are my three favourite brands…
Kit and Kate
“At Kit & Kate, we believe that our soft, hand-made, breathable, natural leather baby, toddler and children’s shoes allow children to develop naturally as they progress towards making those long awaited first steps and beyond.”
– from the Kit & Kate website
Bobux
“Flash forward to present day Bobux and you’ll see a company constantly striving to learn more about healthy foot development and leveraging this knowledge to design kids shoes that are genuine objects of desire for mums.”
– from the Bobux website
Vivo Barefoot
“Your feet are biomechanical masterpieces. They are perfectly designed to stand, walk, run and climb. Our goal is simple; to put as little shoe between you and the ground as possible. Nature has already designed the perfect bit of kit, YOUR FEET. Less shoe more you.”
– from the Vivo Barefoot website
UPDATE:
I’ve added another brand of shoe to the list. I love these and have just bought Harvey’s second pair.
Old Soles
“During the first year, pudgy piggies need extra protection. That’s why we offer soft, pliable styles that support delicate cartilage without restricting movement as little ones transition from wiggling to walking.”
“As tiny tots begin to walk, it’s important their footwear offers special features like rounded toes, flat soles, flexible materials and extra heel support for healthy development of the foot and ankle muscles.”
“Every child develops differently. That’s why Old Soles offers a wide variety of styles to ensure the right support in all the right places. Our wide variety of fashion-meets-function footwear will keep every kid’s busy lifestyle grounded.”
– from the Old Soles website
Do you have any other brands to add to the list. Let me know in the comments and I’ll check them out!