What are the benefits of soft-soled shoes?
Soft-soled shoes have been growing in popularity over the decades, thanks to recent advances in podiatric science, and more parents are choosing health-conscious shoes for their children. For hundreds of years, anatomists have believed that the structure of the human foot has major design flaws, from the rich interlacing of bones to the relative lack of cushioning. It is with these anatomical flaws in mind that shoes are often designed to correct these physiological defects. Only recently have we begun to emphasize foot health from the perspective of respecting the natural form of the foot and minimizing the hindrance to the foot structure.
Soft-soled shoes are flexible
Once thought to protect the foot from the repeated and harsh impact of walking, hard-soled shoes have long been considered an essential safety feature in shoes. While hard-soled shoes do have their place in footwear, especially in protecting babies from rough terrain, the lack of flexibility of hard-soled shoes makes them unsuitable for daily wear. As children's feet develop, their muscles and tendons need full mobility in order to stretch, strengthen, and grow. Soft-soled shoes Soft-soled shoes allow children to move their feet in a natural way while still providing adequate protection from everyday injuries.
Soft-soled shoes are flat shoes
With all the modern talk about arch supports and insoles, we tend to think that healthy shoes need to change the natural shape of the foot. In fact, many shoe designs can harm the health of your baby's feet by forcing them into unnatural postures and stances. Elevated heels, once thought to absorb the shock of walking, actually shift your baby's foot forward, setting the stage for knee pain later in life. The arch - an extremely common foot structure that allows the toes to arch up and away from the ground - forces muscles and bones to maintain a contracted and twisted position, which can lead to problems later in life.
Arch supports are another hidden danger to foot health, as children don't begin to develop this foot problem until the age of 7. However, the biggest obstacle for children who are just learning to walk is the excessive padding added to many shoes. In order to develop a sense of balance, a child's feet must feel the ground beneath their feet. We all use our toes to grip the ground for stability, but children rely on this natural tendency more as they learn to navigate new and unfamiliar terrain. Flat-soled soft-soled shoes (with flat insoles and soles) allow your child's feet to grow naturally and walk in a natural way.
Soft-soled shoes have plenty of room
As your child's feet grow, their bones go through a long process of hardening and fusing, which will determine their final structure. Children's feet are very malleable and are particularly susceptible to structural abnormalities that can last a lifetime. If aesthetics are not taken into account, shoes can overly restrict the growing foot, especially in the toe area. For example, a tapered toe box can squeeze the phalanges and connected metatarsal bones of the foot, limiting the natural extension that the toes need to maintain correct posture and balance. Our soft-soled shoes give little toes plenty of room to move, giving them all the space they need to grow strong and healthy.
When buying shoes for your baby or toddler, always consider style and fashion. You can keep your favorite hard-soled dress shoes for photos, but for everyday wear, we recommend that you choose BabyFont soft-soled shoes for your child, which are safe, stylish and healthy.
