Editor’s Note: This post has been updated and revised for accuracy on May 2022 and reflects an up-to-date selection of the best shoes for kids with leg pain.
Has your child been complaining about leg pain? It’s important that you don’t take the “wait and see approach” or assume that your child’s leg pain is caused by “growing pains”. Waiting for your child’s leg pain to magically disappear can only lead to your child’s condition getting worse, and there is no evidence that “growing pains” are linked to growth spurts.
I suggest that you consult with your medical professional to rule out any other possible causes of the pain before assuming the diagnosis of growing pains.
What Causes Leg Pain in Children?
There are many reasons why your child might experience leg pain, but the most common ones are:
- Muscle overuse
- Foot conditions such as flat feet or rolled ankles
- Low calcium level
- Osgood Schlatter Disease
- Viral infections
- Toxic Synovitis
- Growing Pains
Did you know that children with flat feet are more prone to developing leg pain? Flat feet can create a foot imbalance and alter the alignment of your child’s legs.
Problems with your child’s feet can affect your child’s entire body, from the legs to the back, neck, and even the shoulders. The entire human body is connected, which is why one affliction can easily affect a seemingly unrelated part of the body.
Can Shoes Help Children with Leg Pain?
If your child’s leg pain is due to muscle overuse or a neuromuscular condition such as flat feet or rolled ankles, providing your child with the correct types of shoes can make a tremendous difference in helping treat leg pain.
For example, children who have foot problems such as flat feet or rolled ankles are more likely to experience leg pain, as their walking gait is affected by these conditions. However, if you fit your child in a pair of supportive shoes, you can improve your child’s foot posture and walking gait.
Everything is connected, which is why having a foot condition can cause so many problems for the rest of your child’s body.
My Experience Helping Children with Leg Pain
I have worked for a children’s shoe that specializes in helping children with “complicated” foot shapes as well as foot and leg problems for the last 10 years. We work closely with a lot of pediatricians, physical and occupational therapists to provide children with the best fitting shoes and orthotics to help treat their specific foot or leg condition. Over the years I became familiar with the best shoes for kids with leg pain.
It’s amazing what a difference the correct types of shoes can make in helping reduce or fully eliminate your child’s leg pain.
How Shoes Can Help Children with Leg Pain?
Certain shoes provide firm heel counters, substantial outsoles, and straight lasts that can help improve your child’s foot posture and walking gait. The shoes can also help minimize the impact that your child’s feet take when they come in contact with the ground.
✅ Substantial Outsole: Supportive shoes that provide good arch support and shock absorption help minimize the impact that your kids’ feet take every time they come in contact with the ground.
Below you can see the difference between a shoe with a substantial outsole versus a shoe with an outsole that is too thin and doesn’t provide the correct amount of support:
✅ Firm Heel Counter: The heel counter is the back part of the shoe that provides ankle and heel support. Before you buy your kids’ new shoes, I suggest that you make sure that the heel counter of the 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:
✅ Straight Last: You need to stay away from shoes that have an excessively curved last as they lack heel stability. Take a look at the image below for better visualization purposes:
What a Difference the Correct Types of Shoes Can Make!
Wearing supportive shoes can help distribute your child’s weight evenly when the feet come in contact with the ground and they encourage a stable gait. Children with flat feet or rolled ankles often walk on the sides of their feet or have balance issues, so it’s essential to wear supportive shoes.
Let’s take a look at a child with flat feet and rolled ankles standing barefoot. Do you notice how the child’s feet are collapsing and turning inwards?
Now let’s take a look at an image of the same child wearing a pair of shoes that provide the 3 features that I mentioned above (supportive outsoles, firm heel counters, and straight lasts). Do you notice how the child’s feet are a lot straighter?
Wow! What a difference the correct types of shoes can make!
I have put together a list of the best shoes for kids with leg pain. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Best Shoes for Kids with Leg Pain
The shoes below provide all of the 3 features that I mentioned before, and they are available in medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW) widths. Take a look at the description below each shoe image to check whether that specific style can fit the shape of your child’s feet.
Toddler Shoe Sizes (0 to 10)
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- 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
- Fits medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s foot size
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- 100% leather made
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Adjustable double hook and loop closure
- Built-in multi-dimensional orthotic support
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Extra depth and width for orthotics
- Rigid heel counter
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s foot size
Little and Big Kid Shoe Sizes (10.5 to 7)
- Fits wide or extra wide feet
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Supportive outsoles and firm heel counter
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Supportive outsoles and firm heel counter
- 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 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 foot size
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Leather/mesh upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Leather/mesh upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability and durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Lightweight EVA foam cushioning in the midsole and padded heel increases comfort
- Firm heel counter
- Supportive heel for active kids
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- 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
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability
- Reinforced toe cap for durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- ENCAP midsole cushioning provides good arch and heel support
- Leather and suede upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- Dual-layer midsole construction featuring top-bed foam cushioning and underfoot Fresh Foam X
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning
- TPU heel clip for stability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability and durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium feet
- 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
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Leather/mesh upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Supportive outsoles with extra cushion
- Firm heel counter
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
What Shoe Size Should I Order?
In each of the descriptions of the shoes I indicate whether you need to order a half a size or a whole size bigger than your child’s foot size to provide the correct amount of growing room.
Shoes with shoelaces provide better support and stability compared to shoes with velcro closure. Make sure that your child’s shoes are properly tied at all times so your child can get the full support and stability that the shoes have to offer.
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
You can ask your questions in the comment section below or send me an email in case you need a different pair of shoes to help treat your child’s leg pain. My e-mail address is: fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
Read This Before Ordering Your Kids’ Shoes Online
You can provide your child with the most supportive pair of shoes, but if the shoes are not fitted correctly (proper length and width), your child won’t get any of the benefits that the shoes have to offer.
I suggest that you start by taking a look at a resource I created where I showcase the best children’s shoe stores by state:
The Best Kids’ Shoe Stores in the United States – Where to go for Proper Fittings
If after looking at that resource you don’t find a specialized children’s shoe store close in your area, I suggest that you take a look at the resource below. In the article below I help parents determine their children’s exact foot length and shape (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide, high instep):
How to Measure Your Kids’ Foot – 2 Simple Steps to Determine Foot Length and Foot Width
Does Your Child Need Orthotics to Help Treat Leg Pain?
Whether your child needs to wear orthotics inside the shoes depends on the degree of your child’s foot condition as well as the degree of your child’s leg pain.
If you believe that your child can benefit from wearing orthotics as well I suggest that you take a look at the article below:
Best Orthotics for Kids with Leg Pain – Improve Your Child’s Foot Posture and Walking Gait
Can Worn Out Shoes Cause Leg Pain?
Shoes that are worn out and don’t provide the correct amount of support can lead to minor pain in the feet, legs, and back. Children tend to outgrow their shoes anywhere between 3 1/2 to 6 months (depending on their age), so make sure that you replace the shoes accordingly.
The Final Fitting
If your child complains of ongoing leg pain, the best thing to do is to consult your medical professional.
The way that children walk is dependent on the shape of their feet and the shoes that they wear. These factors can affect your child’s entire body over the years.
Providing your child with the wrong shoe size or unsupportive shoes might make your child more prone to developing foot issues and your child might be more prone to developing joint problems, back problems, stiffness, fatigue, and strain.
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