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Why is it so important that children's shoes have a square toe?

Choosing the right footwear for the child at all stages of his development is essential to avoid causing problems. A series of basic aspects must be considered, such as the material, the type of sole, whether it has to have buttresses or not and, among them, also the toe model.

Pediatric podiatrist Neus Moya (@neusmoya.podologa on Instagram) tells us why we must monitor this aspect and how to opt for a good model of children's footwear.

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Respect the space of the fingers

When we talk about children's footwear and allowing the child's toes to occupy the space they need, we rule out pointed shoes. Thus, the most recommended are those that end in a square toe. But the reality is that it is not so easy to find a wide variety of models. Thus, they could also have a rounded toe, as long as the dimensions allow there to be no compression between the fingers, as explained by the expert.

“The toe box should be wide enough to allow the natural extension of the fingers. The structure of the feet is created by the natural arch of the foot with the big toe stabilizing this arch. When the big toe drifts toward the second toe (a common problem, design flaw in many shoes that comes to a head), this stability is compromised. The foot produces a greater fixation to the ground when the toes are straight and aligned with the metatarsals”, explains Neus Moya.

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When the toe box does not respect that space, the fingers, especially the big toe, will ride on the others. What consequences can this bring? In addition to those already mentioned by the podiatrist, the little one can suffer discomfort, hardness and chafing and, in adulthood, the dreaded bunions.

How to know if the foot fits well in the toe box?

Square toe shoes respect that space because all toes have the same space. In those with a rounded tip, it does not occur in all cases. To check this, the specialist recommends removing the inner insole and putting the child's foot on it. If it fits snugly and the toes don't ride up, the shoe is correct.

In the event that the insole cannot be removed, it would be necessary to draw the outline of the child's skin on a cardboard and then put it inside the shoe to make sure that it fulfills this objective.

In addition to shoes with a square toe, there are also socks with this shape. It is difficult to find them and they are more expensive, but the podiatrist advises them in children who have deviations of the fingers and whenever it is possible to afford them economically.

The problem of lack of space in babies

When the baby is born, the second toe is curled up. "It's like this because of the fetal position it has maintained, but that finger has to go down, although sometimes it doesn't go down because we don't give it space," warns the podiatrist, who will publish New Shoes (Ed. Timunmas) in February, the first children's book her.

“In the pre-walking stage, the child should not wear shoes; the best thing is that he is barefoot, but if he wears them, the sole must be very thin to allow that floating second toe to go down. If there is no space, the big toe goes to the side, the second step on the first and when the child pushes himself to propel himself with his fingers, he can have problems, ”she indicates.

How to choose the ideal children's shoe

There are several guidelines to keep in mind when choosing footwear for young children. They are the following, according to Neus Moya: