Best Shoes for Pigeon Toed Toddler – Let’s Improve Your Toddler’s Walking Gait and Posture!

Have you noticed your toddler walking with his or her feet pointing inwards? Has your toddler been tripping more often lately? Pigeon toed which is also referred to as in-toeing isn’t necessarily a cause for concern as it’s common in toddlers, but that doesn’t mean that it should be left untreated. I am going to show you a list of the best shoes for toddlers with pigeon toes based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.

Leaving in-toeing (pigeon toes) untreated can lead to several foot issues that involve:

• Constant tripping

• Repetitive ankle sprains

• Foot deformities

• Painful feet as an adult

It is true that in most cases toddlers might outgrow this condition, but in the meantime, there are steps that you can take to improve your toddler’s walking gait, pelvis alignment, and overall posture. There have been several cases of children who continue in-toeing as adults, which is often due to a lack of intervention from an early stage. If you’re pressed for time here is a list of shoes with straight lasts to help improve your toddler’s pigeon toes.

Don’t Take the “Wait and See Approach” – Be Proactive!

I always recommend parents to be proactive and don’t take the “wait and see approach” when it comes to treating their children’s foot conditions. Leaving your children’s foot conditions untreated can only lead to the condition getting worse. For instance, if by the age of 9 or 10 your child doesn’t show a real improvement and keeps walking pigeon-toed, surgery may be necessary to align the bones properly.

Pigeon toes occur from 4 different places:

• Hip

• Thigh Bone

• Tibia

• Foot

I have found that the most effective treatment for pigeon toes is to wear the correct type of shoes. There are certain toddler shoes that provide the correct amount of support to targeted areas of the feet, which helps redirect pigeon toes and improve your toddler’s overall posture.

At the shoe store where I work, we specialize in helping children with foot and leg problems, and the difference that a good pair of supportive shoes can make in a child’s life is quite shocking. Don’t take my word for it, let me prove this to you!

What a Difference the Correct Types of Shoes Can Make!

Let’s take a look at a picture of a toddler who is pigeon-toed. Do you notice how the toddler’s feet are pointing inwards?

Before Image

Now let’s take a look at a picture of the same toddler wearing a pair of supportive shoes that I recommend. Do you notice how the toddler’s feet are a lot straighter? The shoes are preventing the toddler’s feet from turning inwards which is going to allow him to walk and run straighter.

After Image

What a difference the correct pair of shoes make!

Now let’s take a look at an image of an older child who is also pigeon-toed and in addition to the feet turning inwards the child’s knees are almost touching each other.

Before Image

Now let’s take a look at an image of the same child wearing a pair of supportive shoes that I recommend. Do you notice how the child’s feet, legs, and knees look a lot straighter?

After Image

Something so simple as providing your toddler with the correct type of shoes can make a tremendous difference in correcting your toddler’s walking gait and improving your toddler’s overall posture.

Toddlers who have pigeon toes tend to trip more regularly than others. I also believe that pigeon toes can lead to foot and leg pain, as when we walk with our feet pointing inwards, we are shifting our whole body out of alignment and putting pressure on parts of our bodies where we are not supposed to.

The shoes that I recommend for toddlers with pigeon toes are not orthopedic, they are regular everyday sneakers that provide better structure and support. Please note that you won’t see any improvement in your toddler’s walking gait if you keep buying unsupportive shoes made from low-quality materials.

What Makes the Shoes that I Recommend Effective for Pigeon Toes? – 4 Features!

Let me show you why the shoes that I recommend are so effective for toddlers with this condition.

1️⃣ Substantial Outsoles: This part of the shoe is going to help prevent your toddler’s feet from pointing inwards and redirect the feet and legs so your toddler can walk and run straighter. Take a look at the image below to see the difference between a shoe that provides a substantial sole versus one that doesn’t:

Toddlers who are pigeon-toed cause unusual wear on the outsoles of their shoes, which further exacerbates their gait. That is the reason why the shoes that I recommend provide reinforced stitching and are made of durable materials.

2️⃣ Firm Heel Counters: This is the back part of the shoe that provides ankle support and is going to help keep your toddler’s feet straight. The firmer the heel counter is, the better support it provides. Take a look at the image below for clarification:

3️⃣ Straight Lasts: This feature helps prevent the forefoot from pushing in.

4️⃣ Lightweight and Flexible: The shoes should be supportive but lightweight and flexible at the same time, to help prevent your toddler’s feet and legs from easily getting tired.

I can’t stress enough the importance of providing your toddler with shoes that fit correctly. If your toddler’s shoes are too long or too short, you will be defeating all the benefits that the shoes have to offer.

Most parents are tempted to provide their toddlers with extra growing space, but this can only make your toddler’s condition worse, making your toddler more prone to tripping and falling.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at a selection of the best shoes for pigeon-toed toddlers. 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 Shoes for Pigeon Toed Toddler

These shoes are available in different widths such as medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW). 

Some families don’t know what to do during the summer about their toddler’s footwear. Should they continue wearing supportive sneakers for most of the day? What should they do when they go to the pool or the beach? There are a few supportive toddler sandals that work well for toddlers with pigeon toes.

Get in Touch With Us for a Personalized Suggestion

Without a doubt, children’s shoe needs can vary depending on their age, activity level, and any specific foot conditions they may have. If you have any questions or need any further assistance, you can also contact me via email and we will get back to you as soon as possible. I am happy to help you find a different pair of shoes for your child so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

I feel like it’s important to clarify that the thigh bone being turned in at the hip is the most common cause of pigeon toes in toddlers. Parents make the mistake of assuming that being pigeon-toed is exclusively from the feet turning inwards, but it’s actually the thigh bone that causes the knees, feet, and toes to point inward.

Provide your child with supportive shoes and be patient. You should also monitor and check whether the condition is getting better or worse.

Are You Unsure of Your Toddler’s Exact Foot Size and Shape?

There is a different article I wrote that helps parents determine their toddler’s exact foot size and whether the toddler has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. In that article, you can also figure out if your toddler has a high instep or not.

Families Testimonials – Get Inspired!

3 Common Mistakes that Parents Make and They Hurt Their Toddler’s Feet

Mistake #1: Assuming that the size the foot measures at the foot measuring scale automatically translates into their actual shoe size. Shoes can fit short, long, or true to size, and depending on how the shoes fit you need to adjust the size that you get for your toddler. That’s why when I recommend a particular shoe I always describe how it fits.

Mistake #2: Buying longer shoes to compensate for the width. Never buy longer shoes if your child has wide or extra wide feet as you might end up compromising your toddler’s stability. Longer shoes also allow for too much foot movement inside the shoes and that constant friction between the feet and shoes usually leads to blisters.

Mistake #3: Allowing their toddlers to wear their shoes without socks. Socks play a key role in keeping your toddler’s feet healthy as they act as a barrier between the feet and the shoes. They also prevent the formation and buildup of bacteria inside the shoes. There is a different resource I created that describes toddler socks that are seamless, breathable, and durable.

I hope you find this information useful, and remember that no matter what direction you decide to take, never leave your child’s foot conditions untreated. I get contacted by families from all over the world and parents with foot pain are always telling me how they wished their parents had acted sooner.

There is absolutely nothing that you could have done to prevent your toddler from being pigeon-toed, as this condition occurs because of how babies are positioned and curled up inside the womb before they’re born.

Should I Provide My Toddler with a Pair of Orthotics?

If you happen to try any of the shoes that I recommend and your toddler’s walking gait and posture don’t improve then your toddler might be a candidate for orthotics.

Have you found a specific shoe style that has worked well in improving your toddler’s pigeon toes? Please share your findings below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.