Shoes for Kids with Cerebral Palsy – Wide Opening, Supportive, Deep, and with a Round Toe-Box!
Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement, muscle tone, or posture that is caused by damage that occurs to the immature, developing brain, most often before birth. Signs and symptoms appear during infancy or preschool years. Children with cerebral palsy usually face loss of balance, reflexes, and coordination, impaired muscle tone, irregular posture, and gait disturbance. I am going to show you a list of the best shoes for kids with cerebral palsy that will help improve your child’s foot posture, walking gait, and coordination.
How Can the Correct Types of Shoes Help Children with Cerebral Palsy?
The correct type of shoes and orthotics help improve children’s stability and coordination, and improve their overall posture by helping them stand and walk straighter. AFOs (Ankle-Foot Orthotics) may be one of the solutions to help with mobility challenges.
Please keep in mind that no cerebral palsy case is the same. While a child with CP might be able to walk unassisted, another child might not be able to walk at all.
When children with cerebral palsy start their quest towards mobility, they tend to be fitted with AFO braces. Most children with cerebral palsy require orthotics and specifically designed shoes to support their needs and alleviate their quality of life.
I am here to help you find the perfect pair of shoes to complement the specific needs of your child.
Does Your Child Also Need a Pair of Orthotics?
Most children with cerebral palsy need to wear orthotics inside their shoes. The most common mistake parents make when trying to find shoes to accommodate their child’s orthotics is getting shoes that are too long to accommodate the orthotic inside the shoes. Another common mistake parents make is to assume that a shoe that is labeled as extra wide (XW) will automatically fit the shape of the orthotics.
When parents finally find shoes that are wide to accommodate an orthotic, they find that the shoes can’t be fastened because the braces stretched the shoe’s opening so much that the velcro straps for fastening the shoes can’t meet.
Finding a pair of shoes that will fit their kids’ foot shape and the orthotic device is a special challenge for many parents.
Before I provide you with a selection of the best shoes for kids with cerebral palsy, let me show you what features these shoes provide.
Shoes for Kids with Cerebral Palsy – The 5 Most Important Features!
I have spoken with several parents who have tried countless of different athletic brand-name shoes on their kids, only to find that most were not deep or wide enough to fit over the braces. These parents end up leaving the shoe store feeling frustrated and defeated.
There are 5 key features that your kids’ shoes must provide to accommodate an orthotic:
1️⃣ Extra Depth: This feature allows your child’s orthotics to fit deeply inside the shoes and prevents the top part of your child’s feet from rubbing against the top part of the shoes. Shoes with extra depth help prevent giving your children the impression that their feet are coming out of the shoes.
2️⃣ Rounder Toe-Boxes: This feature helps prevent your child’s toes from overlapping one another or rubbing against the side of the shoes. Shoes that come with a round toe-box also prevent the orthotic device from poking a hole in the front of your kids’ shoes.
3️⃣ Oversized Openings: This feature helps prevent you from having to shove your child’s foot in the shoes every time you have to put your kids’ shoes on.
4️⃣ Substantial Outsoles: This feature holds the orthotic in place and attenuates the impact that your kids’ feet and legs take every time they become in contact with the ground.
5️⃣ Firm Heel Counters: This part of the shoe provides ankle support. The heel counter of your kids’ shoes must be firm for the orthotic to work in your kids’ shoes. Below you can see an image that shows where the heel counter of the shoe is located:
Another important factor to take into consideration when shopping for shoes for your child with cerebral palsy is your child’s safety and comfort. I recommend providing your child with shoes that come with soft padding all around the shoe, such as below the tongue and around the heel counter. This will guarantee your child’s comfort.
Are You 100% Sure of Your Child’s Exact Foot Size? – Let’s Find Out!
I am always emphasizing to parents that it doesn’t matter how many features a particular shoe provides, if the shoes are not fitted properly which involves getting the correct shoe length and the correct shoe width, your child won’t get any of the benefits that the shoes have to offer.
You should take your child to a local children’s shoe store. The issue is that most stores have been closing down and parents need to end up buying their kids’ shoes online. There is nothing wrong with this, but you must know your child’s exact foot size to know what size to order.
I created a resource that showcases the best-fitting children’s shoe stores by state.
How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape from Home
If you don’t have a shoe store in your area, then proceed to take a look at an article I created that describes the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s foot size from home. In that article I help parents determine their child’s exact foot length 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.
Converse Shoes for Orthotics? – Not a Good Idea!
One concern I have is the number of parents I see who bring their children to the store wearing a pair of Converse shoes with their orthotics or AFOs. They explain to me how easy these shoes are to get on and off, but the issue is that Converse shoes don’t provide the structure or the support that your kids need to get the full benefits of their orthotics.
Converse shoes are fashionable rather than functional shoes. They are recommended to be worn for only a couple of hours a day, even for those kids that don’t have foot issues. All Converse shoe styles come with a flat sole and a heel counter that is too soft.
Abnormal contractions of muscles in the feet of a child with cerebral palsy can lead to a flat foot, with no arch or a very low arch. This is most common when cerebral palsy causes the muscles in the foot to have low tone. The correct type of orthotics worn with the correct type of shoes will prevent your child’s feet from collapsing and turning inwards/outwards due to their flat feet.
Now that you know what features the shoes I recommend below provide to accommodate an orthotic and how you can figure out your child’s exact foot size from home, you are ready to take a look at a selection of the best shoes for kids with cerebral palsy.
I only write reviews of shoe styles that I have fitted before, so I can personally assess how well-made they are, the amount of support that they provide, and how well they fit. 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.
The Best Shoes for Kids with Cerebral Palsy
Below you can find a selection of the best shoes for kids with cerebral palsy. These shoes can fit children with narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet.
- The New Balance shoe style 990V6 is 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
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style 990V6 is 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
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The Stride Rite shoe style Elliot is available for toddlers
- Lace-up closure
- Fits toddlers with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- 100% leather made
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The Stride Rite shoe style Emilia is available for toddlers
- Lace-up closure
- Fits toddlers with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- 100% leather made
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The Timberland shoe style Tracks is available for toddlers
- Double velcro straps
- Fits toddlers with medium or wide feet
- Water-friendly
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style 574 is available for toddlers
- Available in velcro and laces
- Fits children with medium, wide, or extra wide feet
- Synthetic/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style 990V6 is 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
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The Memo shoe style Gabi is 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
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The Memo shoe style Gabi is 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
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The Saucony shoe style Cohesion is available for toddlers
- Velcro closure
- Fits toddlers with medium or wide feet
- Heel grid system for stable cushioning
- Compression molded EVA footbed for comfort
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The Timberland shoe style Bootie fits 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
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The Memo shoe style Princessa fits toddlers and little kids
- Double velcro straps
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- This is an ORTHOPEDIC shoe
- Rigid heel counter
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The Saucony shoe style Cohesion KDZ is 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
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The Saucony shoe style Cohesion KDZ is 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
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam 650 is 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
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam Arishi v4 is 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
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style 2002 is available for toddlers and little kids
- Available in laces
- Fits children with medium and wide feet
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style 2002 is available for toddlers and little kids
- Available in laces
- Fits children with medium and wide feet
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your toddler’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam 650 is 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
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The Memo shoe style Polo is 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
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The Memo shoe style Chicago is 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
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style Coco is available for little and big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- NDurance rubber outsole technology provides superior durability in high-wear areas to help get more out of the shoes
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The Adidas shoe style Own the Game 2.0 is available for little and big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Supportive outsoles and firm heel counter
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The Adidas shoe style Cross Em Up Select is available for little kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Non-marking outsole
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- The Saucony shoe style Kinvara LTT is available for little and big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The Saucony shoe style Shadow 6000 is available for little and big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style 574 is 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
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style 327 is available for little and big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Suede and mesh upper
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam X 1080v13 is available for big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Suede and mesh upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- The New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam X 1080v13 is available for big kids
- Lace-up closure
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Suede and mesh upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
Do not hesitate to contact me directly via e-mail if you are looking for a different type of shoes in a specific color. My e-mail address is:
I always recommend parents provide their children with shoes that come with shoelaces instead of velcro closure, in particular when they require an orthotic to be worn inside their shoes. Shoelaces provide children with better stability and support, and they help keep the orthotic in place.
Before you leave, I wanted to tell you that socks play a key role in keeping your kids’ feet comfortable and healthy.
Most Comfortable Socks for AFOs
If your child is wearing AFO braces there is a particular type of seamless sock that is soft, durable, wicks perspiration, comes with an anti-microbial fabric and have a heel-free design that ensures a perfect fit.
These socks are long and thick enough to prevent your children from getting blisters or red spots from their AFOs. They work much better than traditional socks. Below you can find a selection of the best kids’ socks for AFOs:
- Completely free of seams
- The socks have an unique “no heel” design that allows young children to easily put on their socks
- Non-binding Halo Top prevents the socks from slipping down or irritating indentions on the ankle
- High-tech fibers removes perspiration
- Machine washable
- Completely free of seams
- The socks have an unique “no heel” design that allows young children to easily put on their socks
- Non-binding Halo Top prevents the socks from slipping down or irritating indentions on the ankle
- High-tech fibers removes perspiration
- Completely free of seams
- The socks have an unique “no heel” design that allows young children to easily put on their socks
- Non-binding Halo Top prevents the socks from slipping down or irritating indentions on the ankle
- High-tech fibers removes perspiration
- Completely free of seams
- The socks have an unique “no heel” design that allows young children to easily put on their socks
- Non-binding Halo Top prevents the socks from slipping down or irritating indentions on the ankle
- High-tech fibers removes perspiration
Now that you know which are the best shoes for kids with cerebral palsy, you are ready to make the most informed decision.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you ever have trouble finding a particular shoe style for your child, it’s highly likely that I have fitted it before, and I will help you find it.
My name is Sophie and I am writing to you with hope of some help or support, I am currently fighting a problem that all children with cerybral palsy have to face. I have a nephew who’s recently turned ten years of age and he unfortunately has a diagnosis of cerybral palsy effecting his learning and mobility but is very fortunate compared to some others.
He’s always suffered problems with his feet and walking or anything that involves taking part or playing any type of sport. Adam has just started to get to the age of liking to watch football and even playing it outdoors with his friends witch has helped him massively with mobility, confidence and losing weight witch has clearly improved his overall health.
They don’t sell football boots for children with CP not anywhere!. I do know that nike have recently brought out a pair of trainers for less able children, I think this is a wonderful idea only they don’t sell them in local trainer and sports shops.
It’s extremely hard for the parents or guardian to be able to purchase them and I feel this is wrong that they would be have to purchased online or travel to the nearest nike stores in hope they have them in store and not to mention the price of them ? considering that children’s feet with cerybral palsy change very quickly and grow very quickly. I feel that the price is disappointing and unreasonable for parents to buy especially with them more than likely depending on disability benefits or personal independent payments from the DWP, not to mention the fact we are all living in a financial crisis.
My aim was to try and raise enough awareness, contact the rite and relevant people and to get people on side with what I am trying to do.
I find it so sad that these children’s excersize is already restricted due to there disability, like my nephew he loves to play football and seems to have found a new hobby he loves and is taken so much interest in. These children should be able to play football comfortably without their feet hurting or causing injury, they should be able to go out to JD, sport’s direct, foot locker and all the other popular stores like all the other children do.
They should be able to buy football boots and enjoy the feel and benefits of them, also not to mention school shoes also.
Over all they should be able to do this at an affordable cost, their parents should be able to afford them and the children shouldn’t be going without or being told that they don’t make football boots for them because of their dis advantages. I have emailed over 100 CP charities I found online, I have emailed all the famous and local football clubs I could find on google and I have tried to contact some of the well known footballer’s. I am just trying everything that I can do possible to try and get some support or help weather that be general or financially.
I need some help with this and pointing in the rite direction or being put into contact with the rite people, I know this isn’t going to be a straightforward or easy to achieve but I have hope and I belive I can make a change with this on going problem and I believe that it is all it could take to fix it. It saddens me so much to watch my nephew play football and struggle and just knowing that there isn’t anywhere that we can go to purchase the necessary footwear that he needs. Things are so advanced in this day and age and it’s pretty poor and disappointing that this is a problem.
I am writing to you just hoping that you may be able to help or offer some support for this cause if you know anybody who can help or even you think they may be able to if I contacted them, I would be very grateful as I am for even your time.
Thank you
Sophie logan
Hello Sophie,
Thank you for bringing up this important issue.
Do you know your nephew’s foot shape (medium, wide, extra wide), and whether he is wearing orthotics inside his shoes? I am happy to help you find the correct pair of soccer shoes for his feet.
i could use your help, my son is high-functioning autistic, and Mild cerebral palsy on the left side I think they call it right hemispheric, he has trouble because his left foot toast a dip so we trips a lot we’ve been trying to get the support Vans type just not working I need help with finding a pair of shoes that are stylish unacceptable it’s hard because he’s autistic and he’s got sensory issues but yet he’s aware that the Styles in the hip things that other kids are wearing oh, he’s mainstreamed has been for years he’s 11 years old and I want to give him the styles that he would like and not be automatically singled out because they look like medical shoes I don’t even know what to call them please can you help us
I am so sorry I did not proofread…his “TOES” drag, the front muscle is too long and the calf muscle is too short so his foot has too much play which allows his toes to hit the ground causing him to trip and fall…we are trying to find him shoes that are stylish and ACCEPTABLE, we don’t know where to go to buy shoes that we are being “specially fitted” so they are “the best fit/comfortable for him” and not just buying off the rack and hope that these ones fit and don’t hurt his feet or there’s some kind of sensory issue with them, or being forced to buy two pairs of shoes to accommodate his feet or his brace… he does not have Orthopedic inserts oh, but he definitely needs support in his left foot…can you possibly help? I am sorry for my previous email that I did not proofread my son is 11 he is high-functioning autistic, mild cerebral palsy, ADHD he is wearing Vans, with “THEIR” version of foot support, but the velcro flap is it long enough to meet to make a closure, I’m not even sure this shoe size he has never had shoes fitted.. if you’re not able to help, could you possibly direct us in the right direction? I thank you for your time
Hello Teri,
I am happy to help.
The first step we should take is to retrieve your son’s exact foot length and shape (medium, wide, extra wide, high instep). If you are unsure of your son’s exact foot length and shape I suggest that you follow the instructions on this article:
How to Measure Your Kids’ Foot – 2 Simple Steps to Determine Foot Length and Foot Width
We will look for shoes that provide extra depth, rounded toe-boxes, substantial outsoles, and firm heel counters.
I also need to know from which country you are contacting me from to check what specific shoes are available in your area.
Please call or respond back. I realy need shoes for my son
Hi Bongi,
Did you send me an email or left me a message and I haven’t responded? Are you looking for a pair of everyday sneakers or what type of shoes are you looking for your son? What is your child’s shoe size?