Editor’s Note: This post has been updated and revised for accuracy on May 2022 and reflects up-to-date information on foot pain in the toes.
Has your child been complaining about pain in the toes? Did you know that the most common cause of toe pain is wearing shoes that are too short or too narrow? Furthermore, did you know that most kids that experience foot problems often go undiagnosed?
My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes
I have been fitting children’s shoes and orthotics for the last 10 years at a specialty children’s shoe store. We specialize in fitting children with foot and leg problems, but we provide regular shoe fittings as well.
I am going to provide you with a selection of the deepest shoes with the roundest toe-boxes to help prevent and treat toe pain, but first, let me explain to you the importance of providing your child with the correct shoe size.
If your child complains about toe pain, the first step is to check that the shoes that your child is wearing are not too short or too narrow.
Shoes that are too short or too narrow will cramp your kids’ toes and lead to painful blisters, calluses, and corns. On the other hand, shoes that are too large or too wide will allow your child’s feet to move too much inside the shoes and that constant friction between the toes and the shoes will also lead to the same foot issues mentioned above.
This is the main reason why you have to fit your kids’ shoes just right!
How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape
If you are unsure of your child’s exact foot size, I suggest that you start by reading an article I wrote where I describe the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s exact foot size from home:
How to Measure Your Kids’ Foot – 2 Simple Steps to Determine Foot Length and Foot Width
In that article I help parents determine their child’s exact foot size and whether the child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. I also will be able to tell you whether your child has a high instep or not.
While there might be several reasons why your child might be experiencing foot pain, the first step is to check that the shoes are not the ones causing the issue.
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Effective for Toe Pain?
Shoes come in different widths such as narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide. If your child has been complaining about toe pain, a shoe that comes with a wide and round toe-box and that provides extra depth is going to be effective in reducing, or fully eliminating the pain that your child is experiencing.
✅ Extra Depth: Shoes that provide extra depth allow your child’s feet to fit deeply inside the shoes and prevent the top part of your kids’ toes from rubbing against the top part of the shoes. Let’s visualize the difference between a pair of shoes with extra depth versus a shallow one:
✅ Rounder Toe-Boxes: Shoes with rounder toe-boxes prevent the child’s feet from overlapping or rubbing against one another. Take a look at the image below to visualize the difference between a shoe with a rounder toe-box versus one with a pointier toe-box.
I have spoken with several parents who have taken their children to see a specialist about their toe pain, but they haven’t managed to identify the problem.
In this article, I will describe the best shoes for children with foot pain in the toes.
New Balance is my go-to shoe brand when a child needs a pair of deeper or wider shoes. I have fitted most of their shoe styles before and I can confidently tell you that they are much deeper and wider than other shoe brands.
Every time I recommend a particular shoe is because I have fitted that shoe style before, as that is the only way for me to know how well-made the shoes are, the amount of support that they provide, and how they fit.
The Best Shoes for Foot Pain in the Toes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Below you can find a selection of the best shoes for kids with foot pain in the toes that are available in medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW). Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
Toddler Shoe Sizes (0 to 10)
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Velcro closure
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Mesh upper for durability and comfort
- Extra deep
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’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
- Mesh upper for durability and comfort
- Extra deep
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits wide and extra wide feet
- Adjustable extra-long straps
- Opens super wide which makes in and out easy
- Breathable mesh
- Order this shoe a half size larger than the end of the AFO footplate
- Available in extra wide widths
- Oversized opening for easy on and off
- 100% Suede
- Hook and loop closure
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your baby’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Heel stabilizer provides lateral stability
- Removable insoles
- The insoles are Infused with natural Green Tea extract (no chemicals)
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe the same size as your child’s foot size (fits long)
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- EVA-cushioned midsole
- Extra Deep
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits wide and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Dual hook-and-loop straps allow for a secure fit and custom adjustability
- Removable, contoured, leather-lined footbed for breathability and comfort
- Lightweight and flexible
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Leather and mesh upper
- Alternative closure for easy on and off adjustability
- Lightweight EVA midsole for cushioning
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
Little and Big Kid Shoe Sizes (10.5 to 7)
- Fits wide and extra wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Dual hook-and-loop straps allow for a secure fit and custom adjustability
- Removable, contoured, leather-lined footbed for breathability and comfort
- Lightweight and flexible
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium and wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Removable insoles
- The insoles are Infused with natural Green Tea extract (no chemicals)
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe the same size as your child’s current foot size (shoe fits long)
- Fits medium and wide feet (fits high insteps)
- Velcro closure
- Heel stabilizer provides stability
- Removable insoles
- The insoles are Infused with natural Green Tea extract (no chemicals)
- Machine washable
- Order this shoe the same size as your child’s current foot size (shoe fits long)
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Hook and loop closure system for easy on and off
- Leather/mesh upper
- Durable rubber outsole designed to withstand wear-and-tear
- Order this shoe the same size as your child’s current foot size (shoe fits long)
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Hook and loop closure system for easy on and off
- Leather/mesh upper
- Durable rubber outsole designed to withstand wear-and-tear
- Order this shoe the same size as your child’s current foot size (shoe fits long)
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Hook and loop closure system for easy on and off
- Leather/mesh upper
- Durable rubber outsole designed to withstand wear-and-tear
- Order this shoe the same size as your child’s current foot size (shoe fits long)
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- Lightweight EVA foam cushioning in the midsole and heel increases comfort
- Firm heel counter
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- 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
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- Top-bed foam cushioning and underfoot fresh foam
- Firm heel counter
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths (fits high insteps)
- Lace-up closure
- Suede/mesh upper
- Lightweight and flexible
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- 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, wide, and extra wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- 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
- Lace-up closure
- 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 (fits high insteps)
- Lace-up closure
- 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 and wide feet
- Lace-up closure
- 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 (fits high insteps)
- Lace-up closure
- 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
Unsure About What Shoe Size You Should 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.
These are 2 additional features that the shoes I recommend provide:
✅ Supportive: This feature is going to minimize the impact that your child’s feet take every time they become in contact with the ground.
✅ Lightweight and Flexible: This feature helps prevent your kids’ feet and legs from easily getting tired.
Socks for Kids with Toe Pain – Seamless Socks!
While shoes remain the number one contributing factor for toe pain, socks play a key role in keeping your kids’ feet and toes healthy as well. Let’s put it this way, the shoes and socks work together in keeping your kids’ feet healthy.
One important factor that parents tend to oversee is the importance of wearing the correct type of sock (seamless) and the correct sock size. The main purpose of socks is to act as a barrier between your kids’ feet and the shoes, preventing the formation of bacteria inside the shoes.
You must provide your child with the correct sock size for the toes not to get cramped and rub against each other. Socks that are too small can constrict toe movement and make your kids’ toes overlap each other, leading to toe pain.
If you want to learn more about the best seamless socks for children and how to make sure you get the correct sock size, take a look at an article I wrote called:
Seamless Socks for Kids – Stop the Struggle of Putting Socks On!
What to Do When the Shoes Fit and the Pain Persists?
There might be certain cases where even though the child is wearing the correct type of shoes and the correct type of socks, the pain will persist.
If your kids’ toes seem to be particularly in pain when you touch them, walk or run, and they are struggling to sleep because of the pain or can’t do the everyday activities that they normally enjoy, then I would recommend that you take your child to a specialist.
I met a family with a child that was wearing the correct type of shoes and socks, and had blood work done to rule out iron or vitamin deficiencies, diabetes, gout or juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
When the family took the child to a different specialist, he identified the problem as limb length discrepancy (one leg longer than the other).
The family returned to the shoe store and I fitted the child in a pair of shoes with an extra thick insole on the right shoe to compensate for the discrepancy and the pain was completely gone!
After that experience, I decided to write an article for children with leg length discrepancy for those parents who need guidance in that subject and you can find that article here:
Heel Lifts for Leg Length Discrepancy – The Best Solution to Your Kids’ Leg Length Discrepancy!
Do you happen to know of a children’s shoe store in your area that you trust? I get contacted by parents daily asking me if I know about a good children’s shoe store in their area.
That is the reason why, I recently created an article that showcases the best children’s shoe stores by state, so if you want to know whether you have a children’s shoe store in your area that you can trust please refer to an article I wrote called:
The Best Kids’ Shoe Stores In The United States – Where To Go For Proper Fittings
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
Do not hesitate to contact me directly at my e-mail if you have any further questions or if you need a different pair of shoes for your child. My e-mail address is:
fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
If you happen to know of a good children’s shoe store in your area, please let us know in the comments section below so we can all benefit from your experience.
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