The link between foot health, spinal health and the benefits of soft-soled shoes on developing feet. During foot development, it is important for bones, muscles, blood vessels and nerves to have room to grow without restriction. As the beginning walker stands up and takes their first tentative steps, the muscles of the feet grip the floor and toes naturally separate to help the child have better balance, and control.

If a toddlers feet are unnaturally confined within a rigid shoe, the toes cannot operate in this way, nor can the muscles of the foot and ankle develop the strength necessary to hold a toddler upright. Throughout a lifetime, foot health depends upon the flexibility of the structures involved. This begins in infancy and continues as we grow. If we wear rigid shoes, the bones cannot move freely, resulting eventually in crippling arthritis. From a Chiropractic standpoint, spinal health is connected to foot health. Inflexible feet affect all the joints above, including the spinal column. Many times, pelvic imbalance originates in foot distortion such as fallen arches or dropped metatarsal bones. Every step a person takes translates into either stability or instability for all structures above. This process begins with that first step.

Soft soled baby shoes allow the beginning walker to grip the floor, developing strong ankles and flexible foot bones. This creates a solid foundation for bone and muscle formation in the rest of the body, especially the spinal column. A level pelvis and straight spine depend upon healthy feet throughout our entire lives, beginning in infancy. Lisa C. Moore Doctor of Chiropractic Auburn California