Kids’ Shoes that Improve Posture – Straighten your Kids’ Feet and Legs!
Have you noticed that your child’s foot and leg posture are not in alignment? Maybe you noticed your child walking and running differently lately. Children who are diagnosed with foot conditions such as flat feet tend to have poor foot posture which affects their walking gait, which has a direct impact on your child’s spine and posture. The best kids’ shoes that improve posture provide a stable base of support, firm heel counters, and straight lasts.
How to Improve Your Child’s Posture – It All Starts with Their Feet
The feet are the foundation for our entire body, and the correct types of shoes can help prevent children’s feet from collapsing, allowing them to walk and run straighter. Did you know that the correct types of shoes can provide biomechanical balance and improve your child’s posture by aligning your child’s feet, legs, and shoulders? Don’t take my word for it, let me prove it to you!
Improving Your Child’s Posture – Before and After Images
Let’s take a look at an image of a flat-footed child standing barefoot.
Now let’s take a look at an image of the same child wearing a pair of unsupportive shoes. Do you notice how the child’s feet are still collapsing and turning inward?
The last image shows the same child wearing a pair of supportive shoes. Do you notice how a substantial shoe with good arch and heel support helps align the child’s feet? This will allow your child to walk and run straighter.
I will show you a selection of the most supportive children’s shoes that will help straighten your kids’ feet and legs and improve your child’s overall posture shortly. However, let me first dig a little bit deeper into what makes the shoes I recommend ideal for children with poor posture.
Selecting Supportive Shoes – Key Features to Look For
1️⃣ Stable Base of Support: Your kids’ shoes must provide a substantial outsole with arch support to help guide your child’s feet into the correct position. The arch support is also going to help prevent your child’s feet from collapsing and turning inwards. Below you can see the difference between a shoe with a substantial sole versus a shoe with a sole that is too thin and doesn’t provide the correct amount of support:
2️⃣ Ankle Support: Some parents believe that having flat feet is the only reason why children’s feet collapse, but your kids’ posture can also be affected by having rolled ankles. A shoe with ankle support helps straighten the ankles, improving the child’s walking and running gait. Always look for shoes that come with a firm heel counter, which is the part of the shoe that provides ankle support. If you are unsure about where the heel counter of the shoe is located, take a look at the picture below for clarification:
3️⃣ Straight Lasts: This feature helps prevent the forefoot from pushing out. You need to stay away from shoes that have an excessively curved last as they lack heel stability. Most Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour shoes come with a curved or semi-curved last. Take a look at the image below for better visualization purposes:
We need to find a shoe style that provides all of the features mentioned above, and the shoes must be lightweight and flexible as well.
Supportive Kids’ Shoes that Help Improve Posture and Gait
Below you can find a selection of the best kids’ shoes that improve posture, and these shoes can fit different foot shapes such as medium and wide feet. 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.
- Order the shoe style 990V6 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available for toddlers, little, and big kids
- Available in laces and velcro
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 990V6 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available for toddlers, little, and big kids
- Available in laces and velcro
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Synthetic/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Lace-up closure
- Fits toddlers with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- 100% leather made
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style SRT Emilia by Stride Rite on Amazon
- Lace-up closure
- Fits toddlers with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- 100% leather made
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Tracks by Timberland on Zappos
- Available for toddlers
- Double velcro straps
- Fits toddlers with medium or wide feet
- Water-friendly
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 574 on the New Balance website
- Available for toddlers
- Available in velcro and laces
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Synthetic/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 990V6 by New Balance on the New Balance Online Store
- Available for toddlers, little, and big kids
- Available in velcro and laces
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Synthetic/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Gabi by Memo on Amazon
- Available for toddlers and little kids
- Double velcro straps
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Genuine leather and breathable mesh
- Thermoplastic asymmetric stiff heel counter for proper feet protection and stabilization
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Gabi by Memo on Amazon
- Available for toddlers and little kids
- Double velcro straps
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Genuine leather and breathable mesh
- Thermoplastic asymmetric stiff heel counter for proper feet protection and stabilization
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Cohesion on Zappos
- Available for toddlers
- Velcro closure
- Fits toddlers with medium or wide feet
- Heel grid system for stable cushioning
- Compression molded EVA footbed for comfort
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Bootie by Timberland on Amazon
- Available for toddlers and little kids
- Double velcro straps
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Padded collar for a comfortable fit around the ankle
- Water-friendly
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Mary Jane by Memo on Amazon
- Available for toddlers and little kids
- Double velcro straps
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Rigid heel counter
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Cohesion KDZ on Zappos
- Available for little and big kids
- Velcro closure
- Fits children with medium and wide feet
- Heel grid system for stable cushioning
- Compression molded EVA footbed for comfort
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Cohesion KDZ on Zappos
- Available for little and big kids
- Velcro closure
- Fits children with medium and wide feet
- Synthetic and mesh upper
- Heel grid system for stable cushioning
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Fresh Foam 650 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available for little and big kids
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Velcro closure
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Mesh upper material features no-sew overlays for a sleek fit and feel
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Fresh Foam 650 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available for little and big kids
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Velcro closure
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Mesh upper material features no-sew overlays for a sleek fit and feel
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 2002 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available for toddlers and little kids
- Available in laces
- Fits children with medium and wide feet
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 2002 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available for toddlers and little kids
- Available in laces
- Fits children with medium and wide feet
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style New Balance Fresh Foam 650 on the New Balance website
- Available for little and big kids
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Velcro closure
- Synthetic and engineered mesh upper
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Ankle Support by Memo on Amazon
- Available for little and big kids
- Triple velcro straps
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- This is an orthopedic shoe
- Thermoplastic rigid heel counter
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Chicago Corrective by Memo on Amazon
- Available for little and big kids
- Triple velcro straps
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- This is an orthopedic shoe
- Thermoplastic rigid heel counter
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Own the Game 2.0 by Adidas on Amazon
- Available for little and big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Supportive outsoles and firm heel counter
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Non-marking outsole
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Oder the shoe style Kinvara LTT by Saucony on Zappos
- Available for little and big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Cushioned footbed
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Shadow 6000 by Saucony on Zappos
- Available for little and big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Cushioned footbed
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 574 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available for little and big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- ENCAP midsole cushioning provides good arch and heel support
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style 327 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available for little and big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Suede and mesh upper
- I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Fresh Foam X 1080v13 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available for big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Suede and mesh upper
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Order the shoe style Fresh Foam X 1080v13 by New Balance on the New Balance website
- Available for big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Suede and mesh upper
- I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
The Importance of Proper Shoe Fit
Proper shoe fit is the foundation of good posture and foot health in children. Ill-fitting shoes can lead to a host of problems, including discomfort, poor posture, and even developmental foot conditions. I created a resource that showcases the best-fitting children’s shoe stores by state. If after looking at that resource you still can’t seem to identify a shoe store in your area, then proceed to take a look at a virtual shoe fitting service I created that describes the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s shoe size from home.
Keep in mind that sometimes a pair of good supportive shoes might not be enough to correct your child walking gait. In those cases, your child might need an orthotic to be fitted inside the shoes. The good news is that if you need to fit an orthotic inside your kids’ shoes, all of the shoes that I described above are capable of accommodating an orthotic.
The 3 Benefits of Wearing Orthotics – Extra Support and Stability!
Do you know what an orthotic is? An orthotic is basically a shoe insert that is specifically designed to provide cushioning, support, stability, and relief pressure areas of the foot. The shoes and the orthotics work together in improving your child’s walking gait.
These are the 3 benefits that the orthotics I recommend provide:
1️⃣ Improve and correct your child’s foot position. They also help improve the alignment of the ankles, knees, hips, and lower back, because everything is connected together in a biomechanical chain.
2️⃣ Provide extra cushion, support, stability, and/or relief to pressure areas of the foot.
3️⃣ Absorb the impact that your child’s feet and legs take every time they come in contact with the ground.
Take a look at the picture below of a flat-footed child. Notice how this child’s feet collapse when being barefoot and putting pressure on the feet:
Now notice how much straighter the child’s feet are when standing in a pair of orthotics. The orthotics are preventing the child’s feet from collapsing and turning inwards:
The Best Orthotic for Kids – Help your Child Walk and Run Straighter!
I want to clarify that orthotics should only be used for children when symptoms related to foot, and leg function are evident, and they are experiencing foot or leg pain. Through my 10 years of fitting children’s shoes and orthotics, I have had the opportunity of fitting hundreds of children in orthotics and I can tell you with confidence that 90% of the time we experience a positive impact in the way the child walked and ran. They are also extremely efficient in reducing or fully eliminating your child’s foot and leg pain.
How to Fit Orthotics in Shoes – Fitting Them the Correct Way!
Follow the steps below to make sure the orthotics fit properly inside your kids’ shoes:
1️⃣ Make sure that the shoes have removable insoles – all the shoes that I recommended above come with a removable insole. The main reason for this is that if we don’t remove the original insoles of the shoes, you will be raising your kids’ feet, giving your child the impression that the feet are coming out of the shoes.
2️⃣ The second step is to make sure that the shoes provide good support and structure – all the shoes that I recommend above match this criteria. Most parents obviate the importance of having a shoe that comes with a firm heel counter – back of the shoe that provides ankle support.
The image below shows the difference between a shoe with a soft heel counter versus a shoe with a firm heel counter:
3️⃣ Make sure that the shoes are deep enough for the orthotic to fit deeply inside the shoes, otherwise, it will raise your kids’ feet and give your child the impression that the feet are coming out of the shoe – all of the shoes described above provide extra depth. Let’s visualize what a difference a pair of shoes with extra depth can make when fitting an orthotic inside the shoes. Do you notice how much deeper the orthotic is fitting in the New Balance shoe style (image on the right) compared to the shoe on the left image?
4️⃣ The shoes must be wide enough to accommodate the orthotic. If the shoes are not wide enough your child will complain that the shoes feel too tight, and you will notice indentations and red marks along your child’s pinky toe (small toe). In addition, if the shoes are too narrow, the orthotic might end up making a hole through the shoe. Let’s take a look at an example of an orthotic fitted in a shoe that is too narrow.
The constant friction between the orthotic and the shoe might lead to the shoes wearing out faster than expected. Now that you know which are the best shoes and orthotics to improve your child’s posture, you are ready to provide relief to your children’s feet and help them walk and run straighter.
Looking for Other Shoe Recommendations?
Remember, every child is unique, and their footwear needs may vary. Do not hesitate to contact me directly at my e-mail if you are unsure about which specific shoe might work best for your child’s feet. I am happy to provide you with specific shoe recommendations tailored to your child’s unique foot shape and condition:
fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
By ensuring a proper fit and selecting shoes with supportive features, you can help your child maintain good posture and avoid potential foot and posture-related issues.
Hi, thank you for all the info on your website! It’s been very helpful, but my son’s feet present multiple challenges and I was wondering if you might have some ideas. He has pretty dramatic pronation (ankle rolls inward), so a physical therapist recommended Chipmunk orthotics for him. In addition, he needs a wide toe box to accomodate his 2nd-3rd toes overlapping.
We tried the orthotics today with his Stride Rite shoes, and he feet really fill up the shoe now–previously they had seemed almost “baggy”. (He barely measures as “wide”, but we’ve had him in 12.5 extra wide shoes so that they didn’t leave red marks across the top of his foot, the way that other shoes had.) He said they felt good, but the shoes don’t look deep enough for the orthotics.
I see that you recommend lace up shoes, but he is only 3.5 year old and can’t handle laces yet, so I am really hoping to find velcro shoes. Looking at the New Balance and Saucony shoes you have posted, I am concerned that the toe boxes may not be wide enough. We recently ordered Plae shoes for him because of the wide toe box, but it looks like they won’t work with the Chipmunks. So I am at a loss here…please help. 🙂
I’d appreciate any thoughts you might have! Thank you so much!
Hello Becky,
I have fitted the Chipmunks before and they are great for children with overpronation and rolled ankles. However, I don’t recommend fitting orthotics in Stride Rite shoes, specially a Chipmunk that takes so much space. Some Stride Rite shoes are supportive and come in wide and extra wide widths, but they are not deep like certain New Balance shoe styles.
Orthotics take some room inside the shoes, but we don’t want the shoes to be too wide since that will end up causing your child’s feet to move too much inside the shoes, and that constant friction can lead to blisters, calluses, or corns. In addition, your child won’t get any of the benefits that the orthotics have to offer.
I like PLAE shoes and they tend to fit orthotics well, but I don’t tend to fit them in orthotics because I am not entirely happy with the structure and support that they provide.
Since you are not ready to provide your child with shoelaces yet, I will provide you with a selection of Velcro shoes that will support the Chipmunk and are also deep and come with a round toe-box. I will recommend that you provide your child with a wide “W”, instead of an extra wide “XW” and see how the shoe fits.
Here are my recommendations based on his shoe size (12.5):
New Balance-Supportive and Deep: Option 1
New Balance-Supportive and Deep: Option 2
I hope this helps!
Juan,
Your site is amazing and I have really appreciated all the advice you provide! My son is 8 years old and has ankle that pronate. He has been wearing mostly Nike which haven’t been very supportive. At this time I have decided on 2 New Balance options per their recommendation and yours, the New Balance 990v4 or the 860v8. If I were to buy a shoe without the insert option he wears a 1.5. My son has an appointment with a podiatrist in a week to see if we need to do additional support. I am wondering if my son would need a different size shoe if we have to get an insert?
Hello Jennifer,
Thank you!
First of all, if he has been wearing unsupportive shoes I will recommend that you see how he reacts to a good supportive shoe first before trying an orthotic. If he still pronates in a good supportive shoe, then you should definitely try an orthotic.
In terms of what shoe size he needs if he needs an orthotic, It really depends on what type of orthotic it is and how much space it will take inside the shoes.
If it is a full length insert, then it’s highly likely that you will either need a wider and a slighter longer shoe. I will recommend that you get the insert first and then the shoes, since the insert needs to be fitted inside the shoes and not the other way around.
I hope this clarifies!
Very helpful information but many kids (including mine) that are age 8 and over have outgrown these “kid” sizes. Can you recommend specific shoes for kids who are wearing adult running shoes.
Hello KRAM,
I am glad that you find the article informative! Next time please provide me with your child’s shoe size (length and width), so I can recommend specific shoes for your child. In the meantime, you can find below a selection of some of the most supportive adult shoes that I have fitted before and will improve your child’s posture:
Boys in Men’s Shoe Sizes – The Best Shoes for Your Child with Large Feet!
Girls in Women’s Shoe Sizes – The Best Shoes for Girls with Large Feet!
I hope this helps!
I have a 15 year old daughter, who has Down syndrome. She has been wearing “hot dog” inserts in her sneakers since she was young, Her former therapist didn’t like the idea of restricting her ankles, so these don’t provide a huge amount of support; they just slightly elevate her arch. We’ve since moved to another state and no longer have a PT to look to for advice. Our daughter is VERY flat footed (to the point where her ankles will roll completely inward unless she wears sneakers with her supports). She is now walking pigeon-toed, and her entire gait is off (hips back, torso leading, etc.). While I recognize that some of these issues are directly related to her having DS, we would welcome a shoe and/or insert recommendation based on her physical presentation. To further complicate things, we have another issue – her shoe size. She is approximately 4’11” and weighs 104 lbs. but wears only a 3W (little kid/big kid, depending on the brand) shoe. She’s a teenager and gets frustrated always having to wear a sneaker (as opposed to dressier flats or boots or whatever). Can you make any suggestions or recommendations??
Thanks!
ATV
Hello ATV,
I have fitted the “Hot Dogs” before and like you said, they provide a good amount of arch support and only a small amount of ankle support. I have always used the “Chipmunks” (for some reason the manufacturer CASCADE likes to give the orthotics funny names) for children whose ankles roll inwards. The “Chipmunks” provide excellent arch and ankle support, and they will make a huge difference in helping the child walk and run straighter. They are also extremely effective in reducing or fully eliminating foot and leg pain.
When it comes to a supportive shoe, I would first like to know whether your child wears shoes with Velcro or shoelaces. I always recommend shoelaces because they provide more support and stability than Velcro closure.
If she is ready to wear a shoe with shoelaces, this is the shoe I recommend for her:
Supportive Shoe for Orthotics: Option 1 (This is the most supportive shoe style)
Supportive Shoe for Orthotics: Option 2 (Less Supportive than first option but still more supportive than other shoe styles)
This shoe style is deep, meaning that the orthotic will sit deeply inside the shoe and won’t raise your daughter’s feet up (giving her the impression that her feet are coming out of the shoe). The shoe also provides good structure (to hold the orthotic in place) and arch support, and it also comes with a very firm heel counter to provide ankle support.
This shoe style is also available in different widths such as wide and extra wide, and since the orthotics do take a lot of space inside the shoes, you will might have to provide her this shoe in an extra wide width.
If you don’t think you can deal with a shoe that comes with shoelaces, you can always provide her with the same shoe style but with Velcro.
Do you also need recommendations for dressier shoes or boots?
I hope this helps!
Thank you! Yes, she uses shoelaces (no velcro). I would very much welcome recommendations for supportive shoes (flats) and boots as well. The main issue here is her relatively small shoe size (3 kids), compared to her age (15). She wants to dress age-appropriate, but that’s proven difficult under the circumstances…
Hello ATV,
There is no such thing as a supportive flat. There are supportive Mary Jane shoes but not flats. If your daughter wants to wear a flat, I would recommend that you limit her to 4 to 5 hours a day (or the length of that particular occasion or event)
There are some flats that will fit a child with wide feet:
Flats For Kids: Option 1
Flats For Kids: Option 2
Just remember that they are not supportive and should not be worn for more than 4 to 5 hours.
When it comes to boots, they do provide more support and you might be even be able to insert an orthotic inside of them. I would like to know what type of boot you are looking for your child. Are you looking for a winter boot, a fashion boot, or a hiking boot?
I guess both a fashion boot and a winter boot. Thanks again!
Hello ATV,
Here are my recommendations based on her shoe size:
Fashion Boot: Option 1 (Available in wide widths)
Fashion Boot: Option 2
Winter Boot: Option 1 (Supportive)
Winter Boot: Option 2 (Supportive and in wide widths)
I hope this helps!