Why Does My Child Keep Falling? – Blame the Shoes!

February 14, 2023 Shoes for Foot Problems Juan Valenzuela 12 - Comments

Has your child been falling more often lately? When children are learning how to walk, they tend to fall a lot and this is all part of the learning process. However, children who have already learned how to walk should not be falling often. One of the most common questions that parents ask me at the shoe store where I work is: Why does my child keep falling?

What Might Be Causing Your Child to Constantly Fall?

One of the most common reasons why children keep falling is from wearing shoes that are not the correct size. Shoes that are fitted too short or too long are the main contributing cause for children who fall a lot. If your child keeps falling I recommend that you start by making sure that the shoes are the correct size.

Have You Already Taken Your Child to Your Medical Professional?

Before we blame the shoes or assume that your child is naturally clumsy, let’s take a look at other factors that could be affecting your child’s stability:

  • Blocked ears could affect your child’s balance and coordination.
  • Flat feet also have a direct impact on your child’s balance.
  • Your child’s vision could be affecting the way he/she walks.

Pay close attention to whether your child is tripping over different things or his own feet. This is key to being able to assess where the problem is coming from. If your child keeps tripping over his own feet, this means that’s highly likely that he keeps falling because the shoes are too long or too short.

Are Your Kids’ Shoes to Blame?

Did you know that poorly fitted shoes are a direct cause of falls and injuries? The first thing to do before assuming that your child has stability issues is to check the shoes and make sure they fit properly. If you believe your child keeps falling because of the shoes, take a look at the article below which is going to help you determine whether your child’s shoes are too short or too long.

The Story of the Child that Kept Falling!

Last week, one family came to the shoe store where I work to have their daughter’s feet and shoes checked. The issue was that the child had been falling frequently for the last 4 months, and after she was seen by her pediatrician, she was advised to have her shoes and feet checked because no foot condition was found and no other issues could be found with her ears or vision.

I proceeded to check how the shoes were fitting, and I found out that the shoes were two full shoe sizes bigger than the child’s actual foot size. The shoes were also too heavy and stiff. Children’s shoes must be supportive but they should never be heavy.

I fitted the child in a different shoe style that was the correct shoe size, and I asked the mother to follow up with me after two weeks of wearing the shoes to see if the child kept falling down or not. Turns out that the child was not falling anymore. In this particular case, there was nothing wrong with the child’s feet or legs, and the shoes were the only reason why the child kept falling.

A baby learning how to walk in her first pair of walking shoes.

Is Your Child Learning How to Walk? – Falling is Totally Normal!

I also helped a different family where the parents were concerned that their toddler was constantly falling. This situation was a totally different story because in this case, the toddler was learning how to walk. The toddler was covered with bruises on her legs and arms.  She said she spoke with her pediatrician and was told not to worry about it too much, since other than causing a bad bruise, a fall shouldn’t cause any major damage to the toddler.

The mom was still worried that her child might hit her head one day, and I get it, I would have been concerned too. I explained to the mother that it is normal for falls to happen when a toddler is learning how to walk.

Believe it or not, toddlers who are learning how to walk are designed in anticipation of falling and don’t get terribly hurt. As toddlers start falling more, they begin to learn how to land with their hands first. The more they fall, the better they land with each fall. The mother felt a lot better after hearing this, and we proceeded to find the child a pair of first walking shoes that would help her daughter take those first steps with confidence.

The shoes appropriate for this stage are what I call “transitional shoes”. They are very soft and flexible shoes that do not hinder development, since they emulate walking barefoot. Shoes at this stage are only meant to be used for protection when you take your child outside to the shopping mall or the playground.

Contact Me for Specific Shoe Recommendations

Let me know your child’s foot shape (narrow, medium, wide, extra wide) and the shoe size your child wears so I can provide you with specific shoe recommendations that can help improve your child’s balance:

fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com 

Proper shoe fitting requires knowledge and experience. I was trained by co-workers who have 20-plus years of experience in the children’s shoe business. A simple thing such as wearing the correct type of shoes in the correct shoe size can really affect the way your child walks and runs. Proper fitting shoes will prevent injuries from falling, which are quite common!

Has your child been falling down a lot? Have you checked whether his or her shoes are fitted properly? Please share your thoughts and experiences below so other parents can benefit from your experiences.