As we are transitioning from Mara being a crawler to also a walker, shoes have turned from a cute accessory to a tool that can impact her walking success and the development of her feet. Kids with Down syndrome, as well as many typically developed kids and others with special needs, can have low muscle tone in their feet and legs. Bones in children are not entirely developed. If a shoe is not properly fitted, then the child’s body’s biomechanics can be altered. Therefore, careful consideration is needed to support the foot and to encourage proper form when walking.
Among a number of online resources we found, one website really stands out and is worth a deeper dive to help answer questions. The website is Fitting Children’s Shoes and a summary of its resources and its recommendations are below.
Fitting Children’s Shoes is a website by Juan Pablo Valenzuela. According to his website, Juan Pablo has been fitting children’s shoes and orthotics for the last 10 years. Every week he help more than a hundred children find the best shoes to fit their particular feet. He has helped children with foot conditions such as flat feet, low muscle tone, toe walking as well as children with a complicated foot shape (narrow, wide, extra wide, high instep). He will even help you to find the perfect pair of shoes for your children too.
How to Get a Proper Fitting
Best Local Shoe Stores for a Proper Fitting
Historically, we all bought children’s shoes a local store and were fitted using proper tools by a professional. Online shoe buying has forced a lot of local shoe stores to close, taking the options for professional shoe fittings with them. But some great stores still exist in cities and towns across the United States. Juan Pablo provides an interactive map to see if that is an option near where you live.
Juan Pablo’s Free Online Fitting Service
Getting a professional measurement in a local store is often not an option. Many people live in a place that does not have a specialty children’s shoe store with experienced staff used to fitting children’s shoes (and even good department stores do not have this capability, with very few exceptions). Many others simply may desire to buy their kids shoes online.
Juan Pablo has been offering a free service with 24 hour or less turnaround. You simply send a couple pieces of information to fittingchildrensshoes@gmail.com:
- Your child’s foot length measurements.
- The images of your child’s feet.
- Your location.
- Any additional information he should know about your child’s feet
What Makes a Shoe Best for Low Tone Feet?
What makes a shoe suitable for a child with low muscle tone? The shoes Juan Pablo recommends provide four key features to help your toddler balance and improve your toddler’s walking gait and overall posture. This is a quick summary. See Juan Pablo’s websites for photos and better descriptions:
Firm Heel Counter: The heel counter is the back part of the shoes that provides ankle support. A firm heel counter helps straighten and strengthen your toddler’s ankles.
Substantial Outsoles: The outsoles are the bottom of the shoes. A substantial or thicker outsole helps align your toddler’s feet properly, providing a stable base for your toddler’s feet.
Flexibility: Flexibility is how much the shoe bends. While the shoes need to be supportive, they need to be lightweight and flexible at the same time. This feature helps prevent your toddler’s feet and legs from easily getting tired. Your toddler’s shoes should always bend at the ball of the foot but no further.
Straight Last: The shoe Last is the footprint of the shoe, looking at the bottom of the shoe. Shoes with straight lasts will help keep your child’s feet in the correct position. Always try to avoid shoes with excessively curved lasts.
Shoe Recommendations for Toddler with Low Muscle Tone
While some parents don’t like the idea of providing their toddlers with shoes that come with shoelaces, parents need to understand that shoelaces make a huge difference as they provide better support and stability.
Juan Pablo’s recommendations are consistent with what I have seen in the past. New Balance are a highly recommended shoe for kids and adults with wide feet, flat feel, low muscle tone and a variety of other issues. Any discussion in a Down syndrome forum about best shoes for kids with DS will reflect this.
Juan Pablo’s Recommended Shoes
There are three specific shoes that Juan Pablo suggests. Both of the new Balance shoes come in a wide variety of colors and widths.
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