Shoes for Kids with Clubfoot – Give These Life Changing Shoes a Try!
Clubfoot (also called talipes) refers to a condition where a child’s foot or both feet are rotated out of position, pointing down and inward. The cause of clubfoot remains unknown, but it is believed to be hereditary. Children born with clubfoot may struggle with balance issues, weak ankles, stiff heels, as well as general foot and leg pain if untreated. My favorite shoes for kids with Clubfoot provide a stable base of support, firm heel counters, and straight lasts to help improve foot posture and balance. They are also available in different widths and have oversized openings in case your child has very wide feet.
What Happens After the Casting Phase is Completed?
Once the casting phase is completed, your child will need to wear special boots that attach to each other with a bar to prevent the clubfoot from returning. Take a look at the image below for clarification:
Most children need to wear these until they are 4 or 5 years old. Your child will most likely have to wear the brace all of the time for about 3 months. Afterward, they will only need to wear the brace during naps and at night.
If your child already went through the initial treatment (casting and bracing), it’s important to choose supportive shoes to maintain the corrected position of the feet and provide comfort and stability. Supportive shoes that provide straight lasts to help improve your child’s walking gait and overall posture. I am not talking about orthopedic shoes, just regular sneakers that simply provide better support than others.
Images of a Child with Clubfoot – Find Out the Degree of Your Child’s Clubfoot
Not all clubfeet are the same. There are different degrees to this condition. For example, below there is an image of a child with a mild degree of clubfoot:
Here is another example but in this case the child has a moderate degree of clubfoot.
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Effective for Treating Clubfoot?
The shoes I recommend are regular everyday sneakers that provide 3 key features:
1️⃣ Straight Lasts: This feature is going to help keep your child’s feet in the correct position. It’s important that you avoid shoes with curved lasts as they can aggravate the condition.
2️⃣ Substantial Outsoles: This feature is going to help improve your child’s walking gait and overall posture by preventing your child’s feet from turning inwards or outwards. Do you notice how the shoe on the right has a thicker outsole compared to the shoe on the left?
3️⃣ Targeted Ankle Support: This feature is also going to help prevent your child’s ankles from rolling inwards or outwards as well as prevent ankle pain. Always press on the heel counter of the shoes before buying them to make sure it feels firm (like the shoe on the right) and not soft (the left shoe).
The Challenges of Finding Shoes for Children with Clubfoot
One of the biggest challenges is to find shoes that are wide and deep enough for the child’s feet. Clubfoot can result in size differences between the affected foot and the unaffected foot, so this also creates an additional challenge. I can help you determine if there is a considerable size difference between your child’s feet and what shoe size to order online with a virtual shoe fitting resource I created.
These Shoes Can Improve Your Child’s Walking Gait and Balance!
The shoes below can fit children with medium (M), wide (W), or extra wide (XW) 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
Keep in mind that shoes with shoelaces help provide better support and stability than any other closure such as velcro.
Does Your Child’s Age Matter When It Comes to Intervention Techniques?
This is a question that your medical professional should be able to answer, but if the doctor is recommending supportive shoes, then that might be the route to go. In my experience, the earlier the child is, the higher the likelihood that shoes can have a positive impact on the child’s balance and foot posture.
Get in Touch 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 I 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.
Are Your Child’s Feet Considerably Different in Size?
I have noticed that a child’s treated clubfoot may be slightly smaller than their other foot. Also, their lower leg muscles may appear smaller due to atrophy. The changes are dependent on the severity of your child’s clubfoot. Sometimes these changes do not cause any problems, however, in some cases, a child with treated clubfoot will benefit from wearing two different sized shoes.
The most recent child I helped had clubfoot and a 4 shoe size difference between his feet. The left foot measured at a shoe size 1 and was extremely wide and flat. The right foot measured at a shoe size 5 and had a very high arch.
Though it was challenging to find shoes that fit both feet properly, my fitting experience enabled me to find the best shoes for them.
Clubfoot is more common than you think! The good news is the Ponseti method offers a simple and straightforward method of correcting clubfoot which involves minimal surgical intervention. This technique involves a combination of stretching and a series of foot-casting to guide your child’s feet to the correct position. Clubfoot does not resolve on its own. However, with treatment, most clubfoot can be corrected.
While it is recommended to treat babies shortly after birth so their clubfoot can be corrected before they start walking, it is possible to treat clubfoot in older children. Remember that it is important to keep your child in supportive sneakers that provide good stability for your child to continue being active and prevent any foot or leg pain.
Additional Resources for Children with Clubfoot
I have created many resources over the years that describe the best shoes for babies with clubfoot as well as seasonal footwear such as sandals.
Have you found a specific pair of shoes that have worked well for your child’s feet? Let me know in the comment section below so other families can benefit from your experiences. Do not hesitate to email me if there is a considerable difference between your child’s feet and you are having a hard time finding shoes that fit.
“Clubfoot.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 28 June 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/clubfoot/symptoms-causes/syc-20350860.
“Clubfoot: Boston Children’s Hospital.” Boston Children’s Hospital, www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/c/clubfoot.
Shopping for shoes for my daughter age 7 with corrected club foot. She till walks on side of foot. Now she has outgrown toddler sizes.
I have found orthopedic shoes for girls on Amazon. Hope they work. They are high top sneakers.
It seems the older she gets the shoes get way more expensive and less selections. But I did fond some cuter ones. and ones
that will work for her.. Good Luck Club foot friends ! I hope your finding what you need.
Hello Rhonda,
Thank you for sharing your experiences!
Can you please share which specific orthopedic shoe you bought for your daughter?
Thank you!
My 14 year old son has residual bilateral clubfoot with the right leg more pronounced than the left. He loves playing soccer and recently started having pain in the right ankle. What can I do to ease the pain and what can he wear on his feet to help his feet.
Hello Chi,
The first thing you should do is to make sure that the soccer cleats are fitting correctly. If your son is wearing the correct types of soccer cleats, the next step should be to fit a sport insole inside the cleats for extra support. I suggest that you contact me via email for further information: fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
Thanks again!
Thank you so much for all this info! Are all New Balance shoes okay for kids with clubfoot? I have a toddler and I am wondering what kind of sneakers he can wear during the day, while he is out of his night shoes and bar.
Thanks!
Hello Myriam,
Not all New Balance shoes work well for children with clubfoot, just some specific styles. The 990V5 and the 888V2 are ideal for children with clubfoot as they provide supportive outsoles, firm heel counters, straight lasts, and they are lightweight and flexible at the same time. Does your toddler have a considerably size difference between his/her feet?
My mom, age 85 has club feet. Has trouble finding comfortable shoes
Hello,
Are you looking for a pair of sneakers or casual shoes for your mother?
Hi, very informative article. My 14 year old son had bilateral club foot and has very wide, flat feet. Some New Balance shoes have worked well for his speakers. Our current problem is finding a pair of cleats that fit him. Have tried 5 different pairs and none have worked, either too narrow or hurt his feet. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also have trouble finding sandals and dress shoes, if you have suggestions for these.
Hello Jim —
I suggest looking into this specific model: Zephz This is the only soccer cleat available in extra wide widths (available in both kids and men’s shoe sizes).
As far as sandals and dress shoes are concerned, is your son wearing kids’ shoe sizes or men’s shoe sizes? What shoe size does he wear?
Thank you so much for this information. Very helpful for my 5 years old grandson who has bilateral club foot. I will pass this on to his parents
Hello Jamilla,
I am glad that you found the article helpful!
Thank you for this article, I will definitely try these out.
Hello Nadine,
You are welcome. Let me know if the shoes work well for your child.
Thank you for your insight I will keep this in mind for our 5 year old girl. This is so helpful I have printed it for future reference, I will educate my girl as she gets older on how to buy her shoes as well… Thanks again !
Hello Ronnda,
I am glad you find the article informative! I will be here to answer any questions that might come up.
please contact me , I have few questions
Hello Kakese,
You can contact me at fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com