Children's shoes

Incorrect footwear: a cause of postural problems

Did you know that very few misalignments are congenital – most are acquired? Approximately 98% of all people are born with healthy feet, but, by adulthood, only 40% still have healthy feet!

A large proportion of children and young people suffer from foot weaknesses and even early-stage foot damage, which can ultimately lead to postural problems. In most cases, the causes are lack of exercise, hard floors and incorrect footwear. Scientific studies prove that the earlier these problems occur, the more negative the impact on physical development. We now know that the musculoskeletal system isn’t just made up of individual isolated components. Instead, it is a complex, interconnected and interacting system. Right from the very beginning, there’s a lot we can do to keep this system as healthy as possible.

No firm footwear in the first year of life

Important information for parents: Firm footwear isn’t necessary in the first twelve months of life. There’s even no need for socks in many cases, as they reduce the stimulation in the soles of the feet. The receptors located there play a crucial role in developing both strong foot muscles and sensorimotor skills.

Supporting natural foot development

By school age, ideally the foot and leg axis stabilisers (muscles, ligaments, foot skeleton) that are so important for overall body posture will have developed sufficiently. However, footwear should continue to support natural development of the feet and encourage an active and playful lifestyle.

The next important phase in development is middle to late school age. While lengthwise growth slows down, young people grow more in width. Here, too, the right footwear can alleviate or, better yet, prevent classic foot and postural weaknesses. Correct fit accuracy is important during this age range. Because one thing is certain, without healthy and strong feet, maintaining an upright posture is impossible, and the back will suffer too in the long term!