The Best Kids’ Shoes for Heel Pain – Shoes That Will Help Treat and Prevent Heel Pain!
Heel pain in children is more common than you think, but that doesn’t mean it should go untreated. Left untreated, heel pain can lead to difficulty in walking which might require complicated therapy. Did you know that certain shoes can help significantly reduce or fully eliminate your child’s heel pain? I am going to show you a list of the best kids’ shoes for heel pain based on my many years of shoe fitting experience.
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.
If you provide your child with a pair of shoes that provides good ankle support you can significantly reduce or fully eliminate your child’s heel pain.
Pro Tip: If you’re pressed for time here is a list of supportive shoes for kids with heel pain.
Is Heel Pain Common in Children?
Heel pain is common in children because their heel bone is not fully developed until they reach age 14 or older, until then, the bone is forming at the growth plate, which is a weak area located at the back of the heel. When children place too much stress on the growth plate, then they start experiencing heel pain.
There are certain children’s shoes that provide firm heel counters and help treat and prevent your child’s heel pain. If you are not sure where the heel counter of the shoe is located, please take a look at the image below for clarification:
That part of your kids’ shoes should always feel firm!
If your child is already wearing a pair of supportive shoes and the heel pain persists, then your child might need extra support inside the shoes. In this case, I recommend fitting a pair of heel cups inside the shoes, since they are extremely effective in reducing or fully eliminating heel pain. I will describe which is the best heel cup for kids in more detail shortly, because the first step is to provide your children with shoes that provide good heel support.
Why is Your Child Experiencing Heel Pain? – The 5 Most Common Reasons
1️⃣ Sever’s Disease: This is the most common cause of heel pain in children. This condition is an inflammation in the growth plate due to the repetitive stress that children place on their heels. Sever’s disease usually happens to children who are extremely active or obese.
2️⃣ Plantar Fasciitis: This is an overuse injury that involves irritation of the plantar fascia, the thick band of connective tissue that runs along the arch from the heel to the front of the foot.
3️⃣ Wearing shoes that don’t fit or that don’t provide enough support.
4️⃣ Sports activity that puts extra pressure on the feet.
5️⃣ Fractures: Children who engage in high-impact sports may also be at risk of a heel or foot fracture.
I will provide you with a selection of the best kids’ shoes for heel pain shortly, but first, let me show you what makes the shoes I recommend effective in treating and preventing heel pain.
What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Effective for Preventing Heel Pain?
1️⃣ Firm Heel Counters: This is the back part of the shoe that provides heel support. The heel counter must always be firm, since the firmer it is, the better support it provides. Take a look at the images below to visualize the difference between a shoe with a firm heel counter versus a shoe with a soft heel counter. When I press on the heel counter of the shoe on the right it feels firm and it doesn’t bend. However, when I press on the heel counter for the shoe on the left it easily bends, meaning that it doesn’t provide good heel support.
2️⃣ Substantial Outsoles: This feature helps minimize the impact that your kids’ feet and legs take every time they come in contact with the ground.
3️⃣ Lightweight and Flexible: While the shoes must be supportive, they need to be lightweight and flexible at the same time to prevent your kids’ feet and legs from easily getting tired. Your kids’ shoes should always bend at the ball of the foot but not further.
4️⃣ Shoelaces VS Velcro Closure: When children experience heel pain, I always recommend parents provide their children with shoes that come with shoelaces instead of velcro closure. Shoelaces provide your child with better support and stability than velcro shoes, since the shoelaces help push your kids’ heels back, securing and supporting them against the back of the shoes.
The shoes also provide additional features such as breathability and removable insoles in case you need to fit an orthotic or a heel cup inside the shoes for added support.
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. What’s even worse you will end up creating all sorts of foot issues for your child’s feet.
Are You 100% Sure of Your Child’s Foot Size? – Get it Right!
I always recommend parents take their children to their local fitting children’s shoe store that they trust, the issue is that most fitting 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.
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 an article I created that describes the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s foot size from home.
Now that you know what features these shoes will provide for your child and how to figure out your child’s foot size from home, you are ready to take a look at a selection of the best kids’ shoes for heel pain. 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. This allows us to create free content and resources for many families around the world.
The Best Kids’ Shoes for Heel Pain
Below you can find a selection of the best kids’ shoes for heel pain. These shoes can fit children with narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet, so please choose the shoe width accordingly.
Little Kid Shoe Sizes (10.5 to 3)
- New Balance shoe style 2022
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Durance rubber outsole technology provides superior durability in high-wear areas to help get more out of the shoes
- Non-marking outsole
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style 2022
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Durable leather/suede mesh upper
- Stability Web outsole technology provides added arch support
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Saucony shoe style Cohesion
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability and durability
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Saucony shoe style Kinvara LTT
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability
- Reinforced toe cap for durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam 880V12
- Available in medium and wide widths
- 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
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam 880V12
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam Arishi v4
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- Supportive leather and mesh upper for breathability
- Firm heel counter
- Supportive outsole
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Asics shoe style Contend 8
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Firm heel counter with supportive outsole
- Removable insoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Asics shoe style Contend 8
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style X 860v13
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lightweight EVA foam cushioning in the midsole and padded heel increases comfort
- Firm heel counter
- Supportive heel for active kids
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style X 880v12
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- 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
- Saucony shoe style Wind
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Breathable mesh and synthetic upper
- Heel grid system for stable cushioning in the heel
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
Big Kid Shoe Sizes (3.5 to 7)
- New Balance shoe style 527
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Supportive outsole with firm heel counter
- Lightweight and flexible
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style 527
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Supportive outsole with firm heel counter
- Lightweight and flexible
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam Arishi
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- 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
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam 880V12
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- 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
- Adidas style Hoops Mid 3.0
- Fits children with medium or wide feet
- Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Asics shoe style Gel-Cumulus 25
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Asics shoe style GT-1000 12
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam Arishi
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Lightweight mesh upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam Arishi
- Fits medium, wide, and extra wide feet
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Lightweight mesh upper
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style Fresh Foam Arishi v4
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
- Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- New Balance shoe style 2022
- Available in medium and wide widths
- ABZORB midsole absorbs impact through a combination of cushioning and compression resistance
- Durable leather upper
- Stability Web outsole technology provides added arch support
- Order this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Saucony shoe style Axon 3
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Reinforced toe cap for durability
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Saucony shoe style Ride
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- EVA midsole provides increased shock attenuation, responsive cushioning and lasting durability
- Cushioned footbed
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
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 us via email and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We are happy to help you find a different pair of shoes to help prevent your child’s heel pain.
If after trying these shoes for 2 months the heel pain persists, then I recommend that you try a pair of heel cups inside the shoes.
There is a specific heel cup that offers superior shock absorption, protects the heel, and prevents foot fatigue. This is one of the most advanced shock-absorbing heel cups available today.
This heel cup helps reduce heel pain by acting as shock absorbers for your children’s feet. I have fitted this heel cup in several different children’s shoes before, and in most cases, the pain disappeared or was significantly reduced.
The Best Heel Cups for Kids with Heel Pain
Tuli’s Heel Cups are the #1 Podiatrist recommended Heel Cups in the world. Below you can find the best heel cup for shoes that I have fitted before:
- Ideal to treat and prevent general heel pain, plantar fasciitis, Sever’s disease, excessive pronation, Achilles tendonitis
- Innovative multi-cell, multi-layer waffle pattern design, helps to absorb impact pressure (shock) and return impact energy back to the feet
- The extra cushion this heel cup includes reduces and prevents sore heels and shin splints
Small Size – Fits from a little kid shoe size 10.5 to a big kid shoe size 6.
Regular Size – Fits big kid shoe size 6 and above.
This heel cup is really easy to fit inside the shoes, and all of the shoes I recommended above provide extra depth, meaning that the heel cup will fit deeply inside your kids’ shoes and it won’t raise your kids’ feet up, giving them the impression that the feet are coming out of the shoes.
I always recommend parents put in a little time to address their child’s heel pain condition early because if you wait, your child might be in a cast or boot later for a long time.
Have you found a particular shoe style that has worked well for your child’s heel pain? Please share your findings below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.
Thank you for this article. It has been so helpful. I’d like to purchase a pair of the sneakers for my kids, but there are no styles listed, just the picture of the shoe. I’m not sure how to search for them. Thanks!
Hello Lisa,
I am happy to help. Please click on the image of the shoe to find out what exact model it is.