We've heard a lot about respectful footwear or barefoot in recent times, but do you know what this term really means? And what are its advantages?
Barefoot means bare feet, as this type of footwear is designed and developed so that the child feels as if they were walking barefoot, allowing the natural development of the foot and that even with shoes on, their toes can move and grow freely, without the your fingers are compressed or squeezed.
Barefoot footwear differs from conventional footwear by having a lighter, more flexible construction, with thinner soles and shapes that respect the natural anatomy of children's feet. This way, the shoe does not press the toes inwards, damaging the healthy growth of the foot.
Walking barefoot has numerous advantages such as helping to strengthen muscles, improving balance and posture and stimulating blood circulation, so whenever it is not possible for the child to walk barefoot, barefoot footwear has the main objective of being as close as possible to everything. this.
But then what do I need to take into account to know if I am choosing barefoot shoes for my children:
- Have space for your fingers. something that is easily noticed by the fact that barefoot shoes have a wider toe box, allowing the toes to remain straight and with space to move;
- The heel does not have any difference in level in relation to the rest of the footwear, allowing the child to acquire and maintain a correct posture and walk naturally;
- Have flexibility throughout the shoe, being able to bend easily, which will allow, even with shoes on, the foot to be able to make natural movements as if they were barefoot;
- The sole is hard and thin, allowing children to feel all the stimuli in contact with the ground and which has a direct influence on better balance and coordination.
- Be produced with light and breathable materials (for example, soft natural leather or mesh fabric, in order to avoid bad odor or itchy feet.
These are some of the most important aspects when deciding on barefoot footwear over conventional footwear, especially if we remember that feet have a plethora of nerve endings that function as small sensors for temperature, pressure and even affection. When feeling the ground while we walk, it is as if these "sensors" are telling the brain everything they are feeling, which allows the child to feel everything that surrounds them.
For all these reasons, buying barefoot shoes for our children means making sure that we are contributing to the natural and healthy development of children.
Last but not least, it is worth noting that barefoot footwear and respectful footwear may not be exactly the same thing, since if any of the essential requirements for being considered barefoot fail, we may still be faced with respectful footwear as it brings together most of the of the requirements that are at its essence.
To determine the correct number at each stage of child development, it is essential to measure the size of the foot and also its width. After that, the measurement table of each brand should be consulted and, in case of doubt, ask for advice from a specialist store, being sure that we must always observe that between the length of the foot and the length of the sole there should be a difference never less than 0.8 cm and never more than 1.2 cm, due to the risk of it becoming too small or too big, which will not be beneficial for children, due to the fact that, if they become too small or too big, they could make it difficult to walk.
We leave here a little help so that you can understand the correct way to measure the baby/child's foot and you can find it on the Instagram of physiotherapist Patrícia from @geppetto_bypatricia here
Because we care about child development and our children's feet are no exception, at Pitusca you can find the best brands cataloged as barefoot such as Tip Toey Joey, Blanditos, Zás Trás, Attipas, Koel and Slipstop, and it is certain that, soon , more brands in the segment will be available. Without forgetting, you can also find footwear that, despite not being considered barefoot, meets most of the requirements to be considered respectful, highlighting, in this aspect, the sandals from Liewood and Igor in collaboration with Tutetev and the canvas canvases from Victoria Shoes.
Check out all our barefoot and respectful footwear here !
PS: This text was written by Diana Sofia Gonçalves da Rocha and any attempt to reproduce it in full or in part will be punished in accordance with the law.