The Best Shoes for Kids with Turf Toe – Supportive, Extra Depth and a Rounder Toe-Box!

January 11, 2023 Turf Toe Juan Valenzuela 0 - Comments

Has your child been diagnosed with turf toe? Children who are involved in sports place a lot of extra pressure on their feet and toes. Turf toe is a sprain of the tendons, usually around the big toe. Turf toe can be painful and impact a child’s ability to participate in sports or other activities and choosing the right shoes is essential in managing this condition and aiding in recovery.

Some of the most common symptoms of turf toe include:

  • Tenderness or sensitivity around the big toe.
  • Swelling around the big toe.
  • Not being able to move the big toe normally.
  • Stiffness in the toe joint.

Which Sports Make Your Child More Prone to Developing Turf Toe?

Any sport that requires pushing off against a hard surface can lead to turf toe. This injury is common among children who are involved in sports such as football, indoor soccer, tennis, basketball, wrestling, and gymnastics. Do you know what most of these sports have in common? They are played on artificial turf fields or hard surfaces.

These sports also involve a lot of sprinting, sudden stops and quick direction changes which all increase the likelihood of your child developing turf toes.

The issue with playing in artificial turf is that it is much firmer and harder than grass, and doesn’t have much give when forces are placed on it. This means that every time your child’s feet strike the ground they receive a higher impact.


Once your child’s toe pain and discomfort start interfering with everyday activities, you must take action immediately. The good news is that some of the most common and effective treatments involve supportive shoes and in certain cases orthotics as well.

One of the most common mistakes that I see parents make is to provide their children with cheap and low-quality sport shoes/cleats. Sport shoes play a key role in keeping your child’s feet healthy, and while a more expensive shoe doesn’t automatically translate into a better shoe, it’s important to choose your child’s sport shoes carefully.

Certain sport shoes don’t provide any support whatsoever, making your child more prone to developing a particular foot condition or injury. Good cushioning absorbs shock and reduces the impact on the foot during activities. Adequate arch support is also important as it ensures the foot is well-supported, which can prevent overextension of the toe.

What Makes the Shoes I Recommend Effective for Treating and Preventing Turf Toe?

To prevent or help treat your child’s turf toe, we need to find sport shoes that come with stiff-soles so your child’s foot won’t bend too much and aggravate the condition. The shoes also need to provide good protection to the feet. However, it’s important to keep your kids’ toes protected and supported not just when your child is playing sports, but also during their everyday activities.

Always make sure that your kids’ toes are not cramped inside the shoes, since this can make the condition worse. To prevent this from happening, your kids’ shoes must provide two key features:

1️⃣ Extra Depth: This feature allows the child’s feet to fit deeply inside the shoes and prevents the top part of the toes from rubbing against the top part of the shoes.

2️⃣ Rounder Toe-Boxes: This feature prevents your child’s toes from overlapping or rubbing against one another or the side of the shoes.

How to Treat Turf Toe? – Shoes and Special Inserts!

It’s really important that you don’t leave this condition untreated if you want to avoid a more invasive treatment such as surgery in the future. The first thing that I recommend doing is have your child rest, elevate the foot, apply ice and anti-inflammatory medication. The next step is to provide your child with the correct pair of shoes followed by physical therapy.

Do not ever take the “wait and see approach” that most medical professionals recommend when it comes to treating your child’s foot conditions. Waiting for the condition to resolve on its own might lead to the condition to worsen over time. Left untreated, turf toe can become a debilitating injury.

It’s important that you provide your child with the correct shoe size, as shoes that are too long or too short can make the condition worse.

Are You 100% Sure of Your Child’s Foot Size? – Let’s Find Out!

I created a virtual shoe fitting service that will help you retrieve your child’s shoe size from home. 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.

Now that you know how to figure out your child’s exact foot size, let’s take a look at the best shoes for kids with turf toe. 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 Sport Shoes for Turf Toe

I recommend staying away from sport shoes that are too flexible since this can predispose your child to toe injuries due to their limited support. The cleats need to be supportive and made from a rigid material. Below you can find a selection of the best sport shoes for turf toe that are available in medium (M) and wide (W) widths.

Soccer

  • Order the shoe style Traxx by Zephz on Amazon
  • Available in medium, wide and extra wide widths
  • Padded collar to increase comfort and prevent blisters
  • Lace-Up closure
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

Baseball

  • Fits medium and wide feet
  • REVlite midsole delivers incredibly lightweight cushioning 
  • Lace closure offers a secure fit 
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

Football

  • Order the shoe style Spark 23 by Adidas on Amazon
  • Fits medium and wide feet
  • Padded collar to increase comfort and prevent blisters
  • Cushioned midsole
  • Lace-Up closure
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

Tennis

  • Fits medium and wide feet
  • Outsole material designed specifically for hard court play
  • Outsole features ultra-durable non-marking NDurance rubber compound 
  • Lace-Up closure
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

Basketball

  • Order the shoe style Cross Em Up by Adidas on Zappos
  • Available in medium and wide widths
  • NDurance rubber outsole technology provides superior durability in high-wear areas to help get more out of the shoes
  • Lace-Up closure
  • Non-marking outsole
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

Lacrosse

  • Fits medium and wide feet
  • 50% Synthetic, 50% Mesh
  • TPU molded cleat outsole provides superior traction on both turf and natural surfaces
  • Padded tongue
  • Supportive outsole promotes a natural range of motion 
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

While turf toe is more common for children who are involved in sports, it can also affect children who are involved in other high-impact activities. The constant jamming and pushing off the big toe when your child is running or jumping can lead to turf toe. Let’s make sure that we keep your kids’ support throughout the day.

Your kids’ sneakers must prevent your child’s big toe from rubbing against the side of the shoes or the other toes. You must be very careful to not provide your child with shoes that are too long or too wide, since that can allow for too much foot movement inside the shoes. We can accomplish this by finding shoes with extra depth.

The Best Sneakers for Turf Toe

The everyday shoes will properly support and protect your child’s feet. They come with rounder toe-boxes and extra depth to prevent your child’s big toe from rubbing against other toes or the side of the shoes.

  • Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
  • Lace-up closure
  • Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
  • 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
  • Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
  • Lace-up closure
  • Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
  • 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 Tracks H&L Boot by Timberland on Zappos
  • Fits medium and wide feet
  • Constructed with a breathable textile lining and an OrthoLite® comfort foam insoles provide moisture transport, antimicrobial function, and long-term cushioning
  • Water-friendly
  • Double hook-and-loop closure for easy on and off 
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
  • Order the shoe style Gabi by Memo on Amazon
  • Fits medium and wide feet
  • Genuine leather and breathable mesh
  • Thermoplastic asymmetric stiff heel counter for proper feet protection and stabilization 
  • Stiff and high ankle support
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
  • Fits medium and wide feet
  • Strong rubber outsole and a cushioned midsole
  • Suede/mesh upper provides durability and breathability
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
  • Available in medium and wide widths
  • NDurance rubber outsole technology provides superior durability in high-wear areas to help get more out of the shoes
  • Lace-Up closure
  • Non-marking outsole
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
  • Fits medium feet
  • ENCAP midsole cushioning provides good arch and heel support
  • Leather and suede upper
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a half size larger than your child’s current foot size
  • Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
  • Lace-up closure
  • Strong rubber outsole and cushioned midsoles
  • 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 Game 2.0 by Adidas on Amazon
  • Fits medium and wide feet
  • Mid cut
  • Lace-Up closure
  • Cushioned midsole
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
  • Available in medium and wide widths
  • Supportive outsole with firm heel counter
  • Lightweight and flexible
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
  • Order the shoe style Cross Em Up Select Mid Trainers on Zappos
  • Fits medium and wide feet
  • Lace-up closure
  • Cloudfoam midsole offers cushioning comfort and molds to the natural shape of foot
  • Padded collar and tongue for added comfort
  • Removable insoles  
  • I suggest that you get this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size

The Best Orthotic to Help Treat and Prevent Turf Toe

If your child’s toe pain condition doesn’t improve by wearing the correct type of shoes, then I recommend trying an orthotic inside the shoes. A stiff soled orthotic will help limit the motion of your child’s big toe to prevent movement and bending when your child walks, runs, or participates in high-impact activities.

I have found a particular orthotic that provides good arch support and helps transfer weight from the big toe. This orthotic helps improve your child’s biomechanics and reduce the stress on your child’s big toe.

  • Insole made by Superfeet
  • Deep heel cups help position the heel to naturally absorb and soften impact from the ground
  • Stabilizer cap acts as the base of the insole that supports the rearfoot
  • They can be trimmed to fit your kids’ shoes
Check Price
  • Insole made by KidSole
  • Medical grade Lightweight PU foam for active children with heel and arch problems
  • Blue Poron grip pads located on the bottom of the insole prevent the insole from slipping/moving inside your child’s sport shoes
  • Easy Trim-to-fit material allows you to easily customize size
Check Price

One awesome feature is that this orthotic can be fitted inside your child’s sport shoes, since it’s made from lower volume compared to other orthotics that take a lotto extra space inside the cleats. Just please don’t forget to remove the original insole of the shoes before placing the orthotic inside your kids’ new shoes.

Surgery might be recommended if your child’s symptoms don’t improve after several months of rest and wearing the correct type of shoes and orthotics.

Have you found a particular shoe that has been effective in treating your child’s turf toe? Please share your findings below so other families can benefit from your experiences.