Barefoot shoes for children: myths, facts and scientific evidence

Barefoot shoes for children: myths, facts and scientific evidence Barefoot shoes for children: myths, facts and scientific evidence

Children Barefoot Walking, Movement and Health

Scientific studies confirm that barefoot footwear supports healthy development of children’s feet – strengthening muscles, the arch and natural movement.

You’ll definitely know this situation. You’re standing at the playground, your child is running around in barefoot shoes – and suddenly you hear a comment from a grandparent or someone you know: “In those shoes? Their feet need proper support!” Or an even worse version – you hear something similar from a doctor at a routine check-up.

The worry that children’s feet need a firm shoe with support to develop properly is one of the most widespread myths about children’s footwear. That’s why we teamed up with physiotherapist Michael Tichov from FyzioGO to take a closer look at what science actually says about barefoot shoes for children.

When myths collide with science

Despite the availability of expert articles confirming the positive effects of wearing barefoot footwear not only for adults but especially for children, we still come across negative or neutral opinions. “Unfortunately, in practice I often see parents coming in worried because someone has told them barefoot shoes are harmful,” explains physiotherapist Michael Tichov. “Yet the scientific evidence clearly shows the opposite – that for healthy development of children’s feet, the best thing is movement that’s as natural as possible.”

Let’s take a look together at what scientific studies really say about barefoot shoes for children.

Barefoot isn’t just a fashion trend

Barefoot shoes aren’t some recent invention, as some people might think. If we look back at professional sources from a time when many readers of this article weren’t even born yet, we find the following recommendations for children’s footwear:

  • Optimal foot development happens in a barefoot environment
  • The main purpose of footwear is to protect the foot from injury and infection
  • Stiff and compressive footwear can cause deformities, weakness and loss of mobility
  • The term “corrective footwear” is misleading
  • Shock absorption, load distribution and elevation are legitimate reasons for modifying footwear
  • Choosing footwear for children should be based on the barefoot model
  • Doctors should avoid commercialisation and “media hype” around footwear

Source: Staheli LT. Shoes for children: a review. Pediatrics. 1991; 88(2):371-5.

This is a shared consensus of US paediatricians published in the prestigious journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. This statement from 1991 can be considered timeless information, and it’s also supported by research findings on the effects of barefoot shoes from recent years.

The study that changed how we see “support”

One of the most common arguments against barefoot shoes is the claim that children’s feet need firm support for healthy development. However, a large study from 1992 disproved this argument. Researchers observed 2,300 children and compared the prevalence of flat feet depending on what footwear they used over the years. 

The results were clear: the children who did best were those who spent most of their time barefoot. Second were children in open footwear, and the worst outcomes were in the group that wore closed footwear most of the time.

Source: Rao, U. B., & Joseph, B. (1992). The influence of footwear on the prevalence of flat foot. A survey of 2300 children. The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery British Volume, 74(4), 525-527.

“This study clearly showed that natural, unrestricted movement is best for foot development,” Michael Tichov comments on the results. “The foot doesn’t need artificial support – quite the opposite: it needs freedom so it can strengthen naturally and develop properly.”

Hard surfaces are harmful? The latest research says the opposite

Another common argument from opponents of barefoot shoes is the claim that these shoes aren’t suitable for urban environments full of concrete, paving and hard floors. But a 2024 study brought surprising results.

Researchers followed early primary school-age children who wore barefoot shoes at school every day – exactly on the hard surfaces that parents worry about. After a period of time, they measured the size and strength of the intrinsic foot muscles and the condition of the foot arch.

The result? Children in barefoot shoes had stronger foot muscles and better arches than children in conventional footwear. And that was despite walking mostly on the hard surfaces of school corridors and classrooms.

Source: Fong Yan, A., Quinlan, S., & Cheung, R. T. (2024). Minimalist school shoes improve intrinsic foot muscle size, strength, and arch integrity among primary school students. Journal of Sports Sciences, 42(12), 1157-1163.

“From my own personal experience, I can confirm that this really does happen,” Michael Tichov adds. “I see it not only in my own children, who’ve worn barefoot shoes since they were little, but also in clients whose children I’ve recommended barefoot footwear for.”

Children run differently in barefoot shoes – and that’s a good thing

The way a child learns to walk and run early on influences their movement for life. And this is where the type of shoes they wear matters.

Studies show a clear difference: children who grew up in barefoot shoes or barefoot tend to run with a forefoot or midfoot strike. By contrast, children in stiff, cushioned footwear often land on their heel – a less efficient running style that puts more strain on the whole body.

Even when walking, the differences are visible. Children in barefoot shoes take shorter steps, land more lightly and roll through the foot more smoothly. They also show unwanted knee hyperextension far less often.

Source: Hollander K, Riebe D, Campe S, Braumann KM, Zech A. Effects of footwear on treadmill running biomechanics in preadolescent children. Gait Posture. 2014; 40(3):381-5.

It might seem like a small detail, but these movement patterns stay with a child for life and influence the health of the entire musculoskeletal system.

Barefoot shoes work like walking barefoot

We already know that walking barefoot is ideal for foot development – it supports natural muscle strengthening, proper arch formation and healthy movement patterns. But in today’s urban environment, full of sharp objects, dirt and unpleasant surfaces, it simply isn’t possible everywhere.

That’s why barefoot shoes exist. And research brings great news: studies comparing walking mechanics in toddlers and older children have found that walking in barefoot shoes is practically identical to walking barefoot. That means a child in barefoot shoes gets the same developmental benefits as they would from walking barefoot.

Sources: Williams, C., Kolic, J., Wu, W., & Paterson, K. (2021). Soft soled footwear has limited impact on toddler gait. PLoS One, 16(5), e0251175. | Wolf S, Simon J, Patikas D, Schuster W, Armbrust P, Doderlein L. Foot motion in children shoes: a comparison of barefoot walking with shod walking in conventional and flexible shoes. Gait Posture. 2008; 27(1):51-9.

“Barefoot shoes are essentially just protection that lets the foot work completely naturally,” Michael Tichov sums up. “So a child can enjoy the benefits of walking barefoot even in an urban environment.”

If someone tells you barefoot shoes are harmful…

Now you know what to say. Barefoot isn’t a fashion trend or a risky experiment with children’s feet. It’s an evidence-based approach supported by expert studies for more than thirty years.

“The data speaks for itself,” physiotherapist Michael Tichov concludes. “Barefoot shoes not only aren’t harmful, they actively support healthy development of children’s feet – from strengthening the foot muscles and shaping the arch properly to building natural movement patterns.”

It’s never too late to give feet more freedom. Just as with children, barefoot footwear for adults supports natural movement, strengthens the foot muscles and takes pressure off the joints. Many people say that transitioning to barefoot shoes gave them a completely different feeling when walking – lightness, stability and more confidence with every step.

Article author: Mgr. Michael Tichov

An active sports enthusiast and physiotherapist who lives by the motto “a healthy mind in a healthy body”. His focus is on physical exercise, whether that’s sports training or therapeutic exercise aimed at helping people get rid of chronic pain. You can find more physio tips on FyzioGo’s Instagram.

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