Parents of children with clubfoot should know that treatment has been shown to be overwhelmingly effective when followed correctly. The casting gradually moves the child’s foot to the correct position, while the bracing phase makes sure it stays in the correct position. The bracing phase might last anywhere from 4 to 5 years. For the first 3 months of bracing, your child will have to wear the braces all the time. After that, the child only has to wear them during naps and at night.
While some children might only need to only wear the braces for a short time, others might need to wear them for a few years to ensure their foot doesn’t go back into the clubfoot position.
Now, when your child is going through the phase in which they only have to wear their brace during naps or at nighttime, you need to make sure that they wear the correct pair of shoes during the day.
My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes – Over a Decade of Shoe Fitting Experience!
I work for a specialized children’s shoe store that focuses in helping children with “complicated” foot shapes as well as foot and leg problems. For the last 10 years, I have been helping children find the correct pair of shoes for their feet, and I believe I can help your child as well.
What Shoes Should Your Child Wear During the Day?
The shoes I recommend for a child with clubfoot provide substantial outsoles, firm heel counters, and straight lasts. The shoes should help maintain and align your child’s feet in the correct position.
I always recommend that parents stay away from shoes that have an excessively curved last as this can exaggerate your child’s foot condition.
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Effective for Kids with Clubfoot?
1️⃣ Straight Lasts: This feature is going to help keep your child’s feet in the correct position.
2️⃣ Substantial Outsoles: This feature is going to provide a stable base of support at the medial arch and forefoot:
3️⃣ Firm Heel Counters: The heel counter is the back part of the shoe that provides ankle and heel support, and helps keep the feet aligned. Always make sure that the heel counter of your kids’ shoes feels firm and sturdy. Now let’s take a look at the difference between a shoe with a soft heel counter, and one with a firm heel counter:
The shoes I recommend to children with clubfoot have proven to be extremely effective in straightening their feet and improving their overall posture and walking gait. With that said, if you don’t order the shoes in the correct size, your child won’t get any of the benefits that the shoes have to offer.
How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape
I mention this because children’s feet come in all different shapes and sizes. Do you know if your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet? Do you know whether your child has a high instep or not? These are all key factors that determine what shoe brands and styles your child can wear.
If you are unsure of your child’s foot shape I suggest that you take a look at the following article:
How to Measure Your Kids’ Foot – 2 Simple Steps to Determine Foot Length and Foot Width
What Can Parents Expect After the Casting and Bracing Phase is Completed?
Parents might notice some minor differences. After being treated, your child’s foot and lower leg muscles may be slightly smaller. Some children also experience a very slight shortening of their legs. The degree of the size difference between the two feet is variable, and dependent upon the severity of your child’s clubfoot.
It’s important to note that most of the time these differences don’t cause any problems and go unnoticed. However, I have worked with children whose shoe size differential between feet (one with clubfoot and one without) is greater than two sizes.
If your child’s foot size difference is larger than one and a half in shoe size (5/8 of an inch or 1 1/2 centimeters), you should strongly consider providing your child with two different sized shoes. I will be happy to guide you through this process so do not hesitate to contact me:
fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
After the bracing phase has been completed, I recommend that parents continue to keep their child in good, supportive shoes that provide straight lasts instead of curved ones.
Now, let me show you a selection of shoes that provide the three important features I have mentioned above. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Shoes for Clubfoot
These shoes are also available in different widths such as medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW), so make sure that you choose your child’s foot width accordingly.
Toddler Shoe Sizes (0 to 10)
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- 100% leather made
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- 100% leather made
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Constructed with a breathable textile lining and an OrthoLite® comfort foam insoles provide moisture transport, antimicrobial function, and long-term cushioning
- Water-friendly
- Double hook-and-loop closure for easy on and off
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Removable insoles
- Extra deep
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Genuine leather and breathable mesh
- Thermoplastic asymmetric stiff heel counter for proper feet protection and stabilization
- Stiff and high ankle support
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Genuine leather and breathable mesh
- Thermoplastic asymmetric stiff heel counter for proper feet protection and stabilization
- Stiff and high ankle support
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Heel grid system for stable cushioning
- Compression molded EVA footbed for comfort
- Toe cap for extra durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Heel grid system for stable cushioning
- Compression molded EVA footbed for comfort
- Toe cap for extra durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Double velcro straps
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Extra depth and width for orthotics
- Rigid heel counter
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
Little and Big Kid Shoe Sizes (10.5 to 7)
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Removable insoles
- Extra deep
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Leather and mesh upper
- Mesh collar and tongue are padded with foam for a comfortable fit
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Extra depth to accommodate orthotics, AFOS, and internal modifications
- Triple velcro straps
- Thermoplastic rigid heel counter
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Extra depth to accommodate orthotics, AFOS, and internal modifications
- Triple velcro straps
- Thermoplastic rigid heel counter
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Durable leather upper
- Stability Web outsole technology provides added arch support
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits wide or extra wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Supportive outsoles and firm heel counter
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- NDurance rubber outsole technology provides superior durability in high-wear areas to help get more out of the shoes
- Lace-Up closure
- Non-marking outsole
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Dual-layer midsole construction featuring top-bed foam cushioning and underfoot Fresh Foam X
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Breathable mesh and synthetic upper
- Heel grid system for stable cushioning in the heel
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability and durability
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Reinforced toe cap for durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- ENCAP midsole cushioning provides good arch and heel support
- No-sew tip for durability where kids need it most
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- The ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
Most of the shoes that I recommend come with shoelaces instead of velcro closure, as shoelaces provide better support and stability than any other type of closure.
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
If none of these shoes are available in your child’s shoe size or if you need the shoes to be made of a specific color don’t hesitate to email me at:
fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
Let me know in the comment section below if you have found a specific shoe style that has worked well for your child’s feet. I am sure other families will find your feedback helpful.
“Clubfoot.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 28 June 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/clubfoot/symptoms-causes/syc-20350860.
“Clubfoot: Boston Children’s Hospital.” Boston Children’s Hospital, www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/c/clubfoot.
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Thanks for these tips, very concise and helpful in aiding me in the search for my son’s footwear (bilateral CF). Cheers!
I am happy to help!
Thank you this was very helpful for my son who is about to start playing basketball.
Hello Arielle,
I am glad you find the article informative!