What is a Normal Foot? – Learn the Most Effective Method to Keep Your Kids’ Feet Healthy!

Has your child been complaining about foot and leg pain? Are you wondering whether your kids’ feet and legs are healthy? Most of my articles discuss children’s foot problems and abnormalities, but to fully understand these problems, we must first know what constitutes a normal foot. Children’s feet are unique and continuously developing, which means their needs can significantly differ from adults.

Foot Alignment and Its Importance

Foot alignment refers to how the foot is positioned in relation to the leg. Proper alignment is key to preventing foot conditions and ensuring healthy development. A normal foot structure in children includes a well-formed arch, balanced foot alignment, and no signs of discomfort during movement.

Common Alignment Issues

An inward or outward tilt can indicate alignment issues that may require attention.

  • In-toeing: Commonly known as pigeon toes, where the feet point inward.
  • Out-toeing: The opposite of in-toeing, where the feet point outward.
  • Flat feet: A condition where the arch is not visible when standing.

For example, let’s take a look at an image of a child with flat feet standing barefoot. Do you notice how the child’s feet are out of alignment?

Image of a child with flat feet standing barefoot.

Good alignment is necessary if you want your kids’ feet to support their weight and let them walk and run and do all other kinds of activities without causing them pain.

What is a Normal Foot?

Normal foot alignment in children is characterized by the heel being in line with the rest of the leg, and the arch being moderately visible. Let me make things easier for you and help you visualize how a healthy foot looks like:

In the picture below you can see the difference between heels that are rolling inwards and heels being in line with the rest of the leg:

child-with-heel-eversion

How Can You Keep Your Kids’ Feet Healthy?

It’s important to keep an eye on your child’s foot development from an early stage since the bones in your kids’ feet are made of soft cartilage that with time develops into bones–this process is known as ossification. If your child’s feet are not in alignment then I suggest looking into getting supportive shoes.

Supportive Shoes to Improve Your Child’s Alignment

Let’s take a look at a child with pigeon toed standing barefoot. Do you notice how the child’s feet are pointing inwards?

Now let’s take a look at the same child wearing a pair of supportive shoes I recommend. Do you notice how the child’s feet are a lot straighter? These shoes are not orthopedic, just regular sneakers that simply provide better support than others.

Let me show you another example of a child with pigeon toes. In this case, the child’s knees were almost touching one another when standing barefoot:

Now let me show you how much straighter the child’s feet and knees are after being fitted in one of the shoes I recommend. Do you notice how the feet and knees are a lot straighter? The shoes are preventing the child’s feet from pointing inwards and as a result, the rest of the child’s body is a lot straighter.

A pair of supportive shoes can make a tremendous difference in improving your children’s overall posture and allow them to walk and run straighter.

I created a different resource that will show you a list of supportive shoes for kids with foot conditions such as flat feet.

Get in Touch for a Personalized Shoe 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.

How to Retrieve Your Child’s Exact Foot Length and Shape

If you don’t have a local children’s shoe store where you can take your child to be properly fitted for shoes, you should take a look at 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.

Keep in mind that the size that your child measures on the shoe measuring scale is only a starting point when trying to find the correct shoe size for your child since shoes can run short, long, narrow or wide.

how-to-figure-out-your-child's-shoe-size

Don’t Forget About the Socks – Keep Your Kids’ Feet Healthy!

Choosing breathable and seamless socks that are made out of cotton or cotton wool tends to absorb moisture and keep kids’ feet warm. Socks also act as a barrier between your kids’ feet and the shoes, preventing the formation of bacteria inside the shoes.

All feet are different, and there is no such thing as two feet alike. While it might be hard to define what a normal foot is, I provided you with a set of guidelines that will help you make sure that your child’s feet are developing correctly and it all starts by providing your child with the correct pair of shoes and socks.