Why Barefoot Rules For Little (and big) Feet
Wild Feet
Holden’s chubby 16-month-old feet toughened up this summer. For a long time, if he was barefoot, I could count on him to stay close to the house when he was outside. He’d play on the gravel, pavers and on the outdoor rugs, satisfied with his range and constricted by his tender foot pads.
Now, more often than not, I’ll be working inside or in the garden, and he’ll run away, out of sight, off to his favorite tomato plants and apple trees to forage. “Just pick orange or red tomatoes!” I’ll holler after him, as he circles the tomatoes and pulls at hard green globes. He runs straight over rough gravel and wood chips, sharp rocks and branches, and rarely has a complaint about his feet, unless the ground is too hot.
In some parts of the yard, where it’s rocky and the wood chips are especially sharp, he’ll move gingerly, observing and altering each step so he can avoid dangers. I’ll hear him make bird sounds as he collects apples off trees in the lower yard and he’ll sit down in the dirt and sticks as ants crawl over him.
I wish he could be barefoot all the time, but the world we live in is full of outdoor walking surfaces that are covered in glass and trash, or too hot in the desert sun or too cold when covered in snow. Sometimes he’ll be barefoot at the playground and I’ll find glass or sucked-on candy on the ground. Why? Just why? So we adhere to certain environmental and social situations and try to figure out the places he can be barefoot safely, like the yard and the beach, and put him in shoes that give him some protection, but don’t alter his foot development.
Springy Feet
Walking is a full body motion. In her book, Move Your DNA, one of my favorite writers, thinkers and movers, Katy Bowman, wrote about how we, collective humans, used to develop as movers. Babies raised in hunter-gatherer tribes were held often and in varied positions, so that they were exposed to “an infinite number of loads via varying positions.” As babies and toddlers, all-day movement and playing was done outside in diverse environments; diapers didn’t impede walking patterns and gait, and car seats and stroller use wasn’t a thing, so babies weren’t in one sitting position for long time periods.
Of the importance of frequent, diverse movement, Bowman wrote,
The physical requirements of the human body—the loads that drive many of the functions we depend on for living—are not well met by the quantity and types of loads created in a modern society.
Foot development happens in concert with the rest of the body as it moves. With this in mind, the clear first step to keeping feet happy is to allow the body to move frequently across varied terrain outside. Climbing, squatting, going up and down hills, over rocks, trees and dirt, digging in the ground, hanging, reaching for apples, and playing all day provides the body with what it needs.
Shoes are one of the developments of modern society that restrict the loads our feet need for healthy functioning. When babies start walking, their feet are flexible, a bit flat, and padded with fat. Walking increases the loads babies’ feet experience. The formation of bone, or osteogenesis, is regulated by physiological feedback loops. As the body moves, there is a strain between soft tissue and bone that triggers bones to develop, which triggers muscles to strengthen.
Shoes interfere with the messages we receive from the ground. Nerve endings on the soles of our un-shod feet send information to the brain in the form of biofeedback, allowing us to gain information about the surfaces we move across and adjust. Shoes impact the information our brain receives about how to move, which muscles need to be strengthened, and impede the development of the feet as load bearing structures that are functional because of their dynamic adaptability to the surfaces they move across.
Walking and movement in general require coordination. The foot must be strong and stable, but also flexible, adaptable and capable of balancing. The world we live in shapes our feet and bodies. Shoes, especially those with heels and rigid soles, are like living in a prison for the feet. Their choices are limited, constricted by the walls of their confinement, and they are shaped by structures outside of themselves. In one study, children who were frequently barefoot tended to have lower incidences of flat feet, a higher and stronger arch, wider feet, and more pliable and “springy” feet.
The younger the foot, the higher potential the shoe has for damage. The bones in our feet continue to develop and harden from cartilaginous feet shapes at birth, to the hardened 28 bones we claim in adulthood. So, if barefoot is best, and shoes are prisons that impede balance, strength, mobility and function, what is the best option when our environment demands protection for little feet?
Checklist for Shoes
In cases where bare feet are not possible, because of the environment or social expectations (my least favorite constraint), shoes for little feet (and grown up feet) should meet a few specific criteria.
1. A very flexible sole. You should be able to roll and bend and twist the shoe like a fruit roll up.
2. A toe box that is wide, deep and roomy.
3. Adjustable closures, like Velcro, laces and adjustable straps.
4. A completely flat sole. Avoid all heels, even 1mm heels, NO HEELS!
Here are a few of my favorite options. Also, here’s a great article from a mom who has tried many more minimalist shoe options and a thorough guide to kid’s shoes from Katy Bowman. Please share your favorite minimalist kid’s shoes, especially the trickier ones to get right like winter boots!
Living Kitzbuhel Wool Slipper Shoe
These were Holdens first and second pair of shoes (his feet are growing so fast!). They fit his uniquely chubby feet, have flexible soles, decent traction and they are easy to put on his feet—a huge plus. They come from my favorite baby clothing site, MamaOwl. $36
Bobux Driftwood
These are leather, flexible soled, open all the way up with adjustable straps, and they are by far my kids favorite shoes. If they are in sight, he wants to wear them. Driftwood Navy, $60.
SoftStar Boot
I haven’t tried these, but they have flexible soles and are lined with sheepskin and look cozy and I want a pair for myself. SoftStar Shoes, $135
Wildling Tanuki Keshi
I covet these bright red shoes with flexible soles and natural fabrics. Wildling, $89
These shoes are easy to get on, the soles are a little thicker for cold weather and hard surfaces, but they are still flexible. They held up well enough that we even passed them onto Holden’s cousin who has smaller feet once he outgrew them.
Vivobarefoot Primus Sport II Toddlers/Kids
These are the shoes I waited the longest to buy because they are the priciest option, but they are by far the best. Easy to put on, super durable, and they look cute on Holden. They are the best toddler shoes we’ve found and I’m hopeful that little brother will be able to use them in a few years too.
Revivo by Vivobarefoot is a really great option for used shoes, especially for kids shoes since their feet grow so fast.
Note: I write a lot more about feet, moving the whole body, natural movement and development in my upcoming book coming soon(ish). Stay tuned!
References
Bowman, K. (2017). Move your DNA. USA: Priopriometrics Press.
Hollander, K., Villiers, J., Sehner, S., Wegscheider, K., Braumann, K. M., Venter, R., & Zech, A. (2017). Growing-up (habitually) barefoot influences the development of foot and arch morphology in children and adolescents. Scientific Reports, 7(1), 8079. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-07868-4
Murphy, S. (2010). Why barefoot is best for children. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/aug/09/barefoot-best-for-children
Price, C., McClymont, J., Hashmi, F., Morrison, S. C., & Nester, C. (2018). Development of the infant foot as a load bearing structure: study protocol for a longitudinal evaluation (the Small Steps study). Journal of Foot and Ankle Research. Retrieved from: https://jfootankleres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13047-018-0273-2