Brief Shoe Wearing Not a Danger to Babies, But Not Needed: MD Podiatrist

Dan Michaels, DPM, said putting shoes on babies is not inherently dangerous as long as it’s not a “tight, structured shoe (worn) for an extended period of time.” He referenced the now-banned Chinese practice of foot-binding as an example of the harm that could be caused by doing so. But he said that practice is not akin to putting well-fitting shoes on babies. 
 
As for the complications some Facebook posts suggest shoe-wearing can cause, Dr. Michaels said he has “never seen it manifested in real life in treating my own patients.” He added that the claim can’t be definitively answered through science because research ethics would not permit such a study to happen.