Best New Balance Shoes for Toddlers with Foot Problems
Do you have a toddler who has been diagnosed with a foot condition and your medical professional recommended a pair of New Balance shoes? Are you unsure as to what specific pair of New Balance shoes you should get for your toddler? New Balance has a broad lineup of shoes, and it can be confusing to figure out which styles are better than others in terms of support and fit. I know which are the best New Balance shoes for toddlers with foot problems from having fitted them before.
The New Balance shoes I recommend provide a stable base of support for your child’s feet but they are lightweight and flexible at the same time, to promote natural foot function.
At the shoe store where I work, I handle approximately one hundred shoe fittings/try ons per week, and over the years I became familiar with the best New Balance shoes for toddlers with foot problems.
Some of the most common reasons why medical professionals recommend toddlers to wear more substantial and supportive shoes that are still lightweight and flexible are:
- Flat feet
- Rolled ankles
- Low muscle tone
- Hypermobility
- Toe walking
It’s important to note that not all New Balance shoes are going to be effective in helping treat your toddler’s foot condition. Some New Balance shoes are a lot more supportive and fit better than others, and I will show you which styles these are shortly.
What Makes New Balance Shoes Effective for Toddlers with Foot Problems?
The New Balance shoes I recommend provide these important features:
1️⃣ Lightweight and Flexible with a Stable Base of Support: The shoes provide a substantial outsole to support your toddler’s feet and improve foot posture.
The shoes are lightweight and flexible at the same time to promote healthy foot development and help with balance. Some toddlers lack the step thrust to bend a harder sole, so the shoes must be supportive but lightweight and flexible at the same time.
2️⃣ Firm Heel Counter: This is the back part of the shoes that provides ankle and heel support. Shoes with firm heel counters are ideal for toddlers who have flat feet, rolled ankles, or low muscle tone.
I suggest that you press on the heel counter of your toddler’s shoes before buying them to make sure that it feels firm and sturdy. Take a look at the difference in ankle and heel support between a Nike shoe (left image) and a New Balance shoe (right image):
3️⃣ Extra Depth: This is a really important feature that often goes unnoticed by most families. Shoes that provide extra depth allow the child’s feet to sit deeply inside the shoes, increasing comfort and preventing the top part of the foot (instep), from rubbing against the top part of the shoes
Shoes that provide extra depth are ideal if your toddler needs to wear orthotics. For example, take a look at the difference in depth between a Nike shoe (left image) and a New Balance shoe (right image). There is an orthotic fitted inside both shoes, do you notice how much deeper the orthotic is fitting inside the New Balance shoe?
Are Shoes with Shoelaces Better than Shoes with Velcro Closure?
When toddlers are dealing with foot conditions they can strongly benefit from wearing shoes that come with shoelaces instead of velcro closure. The main reason for this is that shoes with shoelaces are capable go “hugging” the child’s feet more efficiently, providing the child with better support and stability.
I understand that it’s hard for most families to provide their toddlers with shoes that come with shoelaces instead of an alternative closure, as they will have to constantly tie the shoes. However, shoes with shoelaces make a big difference when it comes to improving a child’s foot posture, walking gait, and stability.
Before I show you a selection of the best New Balance shoes for toddlers with foot problems I want to make sure that you know your toddler’s exact foot length and shape.
The Importance of Getting the Correct Shoe Size
Medical professionals get frustrated about children not wearing the correct types of shoes in the correct size. These therapists explain to me how they encounter many children with foot conditions who wear shoes that don’t fit properly, which makes the condition harder to manage.
Shoes that are too small hinder the proper growth of the foot, diminishing blood circulation, causing painful blisters, ingrown toenails, calluses, corns, and many other foot problems. Shoes that are too large might prevent your toddler from maintaining grip on the ground properly, compromising your toddler’s stability.
One example we can use is a common condition called toe walking. When children wear shoes that are too big the shoes might slip off and children will often stay up on their toes as a way to help keep the shoe on their foot.
How to Order the Correct Shoe Size for Your Child Online
Most specialized children’s shoe stores have been closing down. COVID-19 has accelerated this movement towards online shopping and stores closing, leaving many parents confused, as it’s very hard to shop for children’s shoes online. This is the reason why I created a resource that helps families determine their child’s exact foot size from home.
Now that you know your toddler’s exact foot length and shape let’s take a look at the best New Balance shoes for toddlers with foot problems. Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.
Best New Balance Shoes for Toddlers with Foot Problems
Take a look at the description below each shoe to find out whether that shoe is available in your toddler’s foot shape (medium, wide, extra wide).
Many of the shoes featured below come in several color options, so if you want the shoes to be made of a specific color, please make sure to click through and see if they are available in that specific color.
Lace-Up Closure
- Shoe style 990V6 by New Balance
- Available in laces and velcro
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style 990V6 by New Balance
- Available in laces and velcro
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Synthetic/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style 2022
- Fits toddlers with medium or wide feet
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style 990V6 by New Balance
- Available in laces and velcro
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Synthetic/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
Velcro Closure
- Shoe style 990v6 by New balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Suede/mesh upper
- EVA-cushioned midsole
- Extra Deep
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style 574 by New balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Customizable fit adjusts to your child’s foot shape
- Extra Deep
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style 574 by New balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Customizable fit adjusts to your child’s foot shape
- Extra Deep
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style 574 by New balance
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Generous toe box and instep to accommodate and support your toddler walker’s needs
- Extra deep
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- New Balance style 990v4
- Fits toddlers with medium or wide feet
- Generous toe box and instep to accommodate and support your toddler walker’s needs
- Extra deep
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Shoe style Fresh Foam 650 by New balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Customizable fit adjusts to your child’s foot shape
- Extra Deep
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Shoe style Fresh Foam 650 by New balance
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Customizable fit adjusts to your child’s foot shape
- Extra Deep
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
➡️ Substantial outsoles provide a stable base of support to improve foot posture and walking gait.
➡️ Firm heel counters improve foot posture and provide extra heel and ankle support.
➡️ Extra cushion and padding around the heels and ankles helps minimize rubbing and the formation of blisters.
➡️ Leather and mesh upper helps prevent sweaty feet by allowing your toddler’s feet to breathe.
➡️ Wide opening for easy on and off.
Can I Try Shoes with Velcro Closure Instead of Shoelaces?
If you have a feeling that you won’t be able to keep up retying your toddler’s shoes and prefer to order a pair of shoes with velcro closure, I suggest that you contact me at my email and I will provide you with different shoe recommendations:
Additional Resources for Toddlers with Foot Problems
Over the years I have created several resources for toddlers with foot problems. Some of them describe the best sandals for pronation and ankle boots to improve foot posture and walking gait.
Let me know in the comment section below if you have found a specific shoe style that has worked well for your toddler’s foot condition. I am sure other families will find your feedback helpful!
