Has your child been complaining about pain around the ball of the foot? The medical term for pain in the ball of the foot is metatarsalgia. I have put together a selection of the best shoes for the ball of the foot pain based on my many years of shoe fitting experience, and I will show you these shoes shortly.
Be Careful About Taking the “Wait and See Approach”
I have heard a lot of parents complain that their medical professional told them to not worry about their kids’ foot pain, as it will get better with time. 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 your child is complaining about pain in the ball of the foot then I suggest taking action immediately, as this condition can lead to hammertoes and can cause your child to limp and cause pain in other parts of the body, including the lower back and hip.
Where Is the Ball of the Foot Located?
I want to start by clarifying where the ball of the foot is located. The ball of the foot is located in the bottom part of the foot (between the arch and toes), and if your child is experiencing pain in this area it generally means that the shoes that your child is wearing are not supportive enough.
Did you know that the most common cause of ball of foot pain is wearing ill-fitting shoes or shoes that don’t provide the correct amount of support? You must make sure that you don’t provide your child with unsupportive shoes or shoes that have narrow toe boxes, as they can be very damaging to the feet, especially after prolonged use.
Most children are extremely active and they impose an enormous amount of stress on their feet, which can lead them to experience pain and inflammation in the padding directly below the toes — this is where they place the most pressure when standing and moving.
Metatarsalgia can also be a result of too much physical exercise, and in this case, you have to let your child’s foot rest as much as possible until the pain subsides. Wearing shoes that fit and that provide the correct amount of support help prevent and treat the pain.
My Experience Fitting Children’s Shoes – Over a Decade of Shoe Fitting Experience!
I have been working for a specialized children’s shoe store for the last 10 years, and I am familiar with the most common children’s foot problems. We are one of the few children’s shoe stores in the country that is certified to fit orthotics, and we carry the best shoe brands and the best shoe styles for children.
The issue is that there is only a small selection of children’s shoes that provide the correct amount of support for their feet. The good news is that I will help you find them.
I will provide you with a selection of the best shoes for the ball of the foot pain shortly, but first I want to show you which features these shoes provide and how you can figure out your child’s exact foot size from home.
How Can We Treat Your Child’s Ball of the Foot Pain? – Supportive Shoes!
The most effective way is to provide your child with a pair of supportive shoes, as they help minimize the impact that your child’s feet and legs take every time they come in contact with the ground. The shoes should also fit the shape of your child’s feet perfectly.
To summarize, to help treat your child’s ball of the foot pain you must:
1️⃣ Rest your child’s feet, especially after your child has been involved in intense physical activity.
2️⃣ Make sure that your child is wearing the correct shoe size.
3️⃣ Make sure that your child is wearing supportive shoes.
4️⃣ Consider providing your child with orthotics if the pain is not reduced after wearing supportive shoes.
Where Can You Get Your Kids’ Shoes? – Let’s Find Out!
I always recommend parents take their kids to be properly fitted for shoes at their local kids’ fitting shoe store that they trust, where a shoe fitter can properly measure their feet and find shoes that fit. However, not all parents have a good-fitting children’s shoe store in their area. That is the reason why I decided to create a resource where I describe the best-fitting children’s shoe stores by state:
The Best Kids’ Shoe Stores in the United States – Where to Go for Proper Fittings!
How to Find Out Your Child’s Foot Size Online
If after looking at the resource you still can’t seem to find a kids’ shoe store in your area, then proceed to read an article I created where I describe the simplest, yet most effective way to figure out your child’s foot size from home:
How to Measure Your Kids’ Foot – 2 Simple Steps to Determine Foot Length and Foot Width
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 your child’s exact foot size, let’s move on and see what features the shoes I recommend will provide to your child.
Treat and Prevent Metatarsalgia – The 3 Most Important Features!
There are 3 important features that your child’s shoes must provide to treat and prevent metatarsalgia:
1️⃣ Support: This feature helps minimize the impact that your kids’ feet and legs take every time they come in contact with the ground. When children are running or jumping, they are stressing out their feet and legs at a whole different level, and a supportive shoe plays a key role in minimizing the impact between your kids’ feet and the ground.
2️⃣ Flexible and Lightweight: The shoes must be supportive but lightweight and flexible at the same time to prevent your kids’ feet and legs from easily getting tired.
3️⃣ Shoelaces vs Velcro: I always recommend parents provide their children with shoelaces instead of velcro closure, as shoelaces allow your child to get the full benefits of the shoes. Shoelaces also provide better support and more stability for your child’s feet.
Now that you know how to make sure that your child is wearing the correct shoe size and what features the shoes must provide for your child’s feet, you are ready to see a selection of the best kids’ shoes for metatarsalgia.
I only write reviews of shoe styles that I have fitted before, otherwise, I wouldn’t know how well-made they are, the amount of support that they provide, and how they fit. Disclosure: Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases.
The Best Shoes for the Ball of the Foot Pain
Below you can find a selection of the best shoes to treat and prevent ball of the foot pain. These shoes are available in narrow, medium, wide, and extra wide.
Little Kid Shoe Sizes (10.5 to 3)
- 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
- Order this shoe a whole larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits narrow, 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
- 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
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole 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
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- 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
- Fits medium and wide feet
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Fits medium and 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
Big Kid Shoe Sizes (3.5 to 7)
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Order this shoe a whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Fits narrow and medium feet
- Lace-up closure
- Removable Insoles
- Order this shoe a whole a size larger than your child’s current foot size
- 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
- 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
- Fits medium and wide feet
- Fresh Foam midsole cushioning is precision engineered to deliver an ultra-cushioned, lightweight ride
- TPU heel clip for stability
- Order this shoe half a size larger than your child’s
- 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 whole size larger than your child’s current foot size
- Available in medium and wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- 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
- Fits narrow, medium, and wide 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
- 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
- Available in medium, wide, and extra wide widths
- Lace-up closure
- 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
Unsure About What Shoe Size You Should Order?
In each of the descriptions of the shoes, I indicate whether you need to order a half size or a whole size bigger than your child’s current foot size to provide the correct amount of growing room.
*A half a size bigger translates to 3/16 of an inch or 0.4 centimeters of space between your child’s longest toe and the end of the shoes.
*A whole size bigger translates to 3/8 of an inch or 0.8 centimeters of space between your child’s longest toe and the end of the shoes.
Are Any Other Shoe Choices Available?
Do not hesitate to contact me directly at my e-mail if you have any further questions or if your child has narrow feet and needs a different selection of shoes. My e-mail address is:
fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com
Is your Child Still Experiencing Pain after Trying Supportive Shoes?
If you have tried a pair of supportive shoes —for at least 2 months— and your child still complains about pain in the ball of the foot, then the next step is to try an orthotic inside the shoes for extra support.
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. Orthotics can be extremely effective in reducing or fully eliminating foot and leg pain.
While I can’t get into too much about the best orthotics for kids in this article, you should refer to a different article I wrote called:
Toddler’s Orthotics – The Best Orthotics for Your Child!
The Best Orthotics for Kids – The Most Effective Way to Correct Your Child’s Overpronation
Those articles describe the most effective orthotics that I have fitted for children in terms of support and comfort.
What are the Causes of the Ball of the Foot Pain? – Let’s Find Out!
A child can develop metatarsalgia due to several factors, but these are the most common ones:
- Wearing the wrong shoe size.
- Wearing shoes that don’t provide enough support.
- Being involved in intense physical activity.
- Having the second toe longer than the big toe.
- Having a high arch.
- Being overweight.
All those causes can contribute to your child experiencing foot pain in the bottom of the foot.
I want parents to remember one thing: Never ignore your child’s foot and leg pain assuming that it might just be “growing pains”. Now that you know how to prevent and treat pain in the ball of your child’s feet you can keep your kids’ feet and legs healthy.
Is there a particular shoe style that has worked well in reducing or fully eliminating your child’s ball of the foot pain? Please share your findings below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.
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