Shoes That Are Too Small Restrict Motion: MD Podiatrist

Dr. Michaels with the Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Institute, LLC is encouraging parents to get their children’s school shoes professionally fitted, as new research confirms that ill-fitted footwear can significantly impede foot movement and comfort. In a new study, researchers tested the effect of shoe size on foot motion and comfort among children aged 8 to 12 years, finding that shoes that were one size too small restricted the normal movement of the heel, arch, and big toe joint during walking.
 
Dr. Daniel Michaels says that well-fitted school shoes are important for children to feel comfortable at school. “Thousands of school shoes are purchased every year with children wearing them for more than seven hours a day during school,” Dr. Michaels says. “Importantly, our research found that when children’s shoes were too small, they restricted foot and joint movements, which could create problems for children’s feet in the future.”