Why It’s Crucial To Understand What Happens To Babies When You Keep Them Barefoot
May 13, 2019 by apost team
Parents want their children to grow up healthy but there is so much information out there on how to successfully raise a child that it’s difficult to know what to pay attention to. One question parents have among millions of others is, should children walk around barefoot or with shoes on?
For Illustration Purposes Only (With Models) - istockphoto.com/oneblink-cj
It’s true that children are often provided with cute little shoes even before they are able to walk. But one study shows that even after they learn to walk it might not be necessary. Published in a 2017 edition of the medical journal Sci Rep, the article “Growing-up (habitually) barefoot influences the development of foot and arch morphology in children and adolescents” concludes,
“...growing up barefoot or shod may play an important role for childhood foot development, implying long-term consequences for motor learning and health later in life.”
apost.com
For Illustration Purposes Only (With Models) - istockphoto.com/simonkr
The first few years in the life of a child is when the brain becomes perfectly adapted for growth and learning. The full engagement of the five senses is integral to the development process including that of touch.
In Natural Child Magazine, chiropractor Kacie Flegal explains that the proprioceptive and vestibular systems are two of the most important sensory systems. Flegal says that these systems are boosted by walking without shoes. The proprioceptive system is important for understanding motion in relation to the human body and the vestibular system is necessary for coordination and balance.
For Illustration Purposes Only (With Models) - istockphoto.com/elisalocci
She says that when your children walk around without shoes (needless to say in a safe area such as a carpet or grass), sensory input is provided to the vestibular and proprioceptive system and brain.
Flegal also notes that children are not the only ones who can benefit from an occasional barefoot walk. It feels good for adults to connect back again with the earth and have a tactile experience through the soles of their feet.
For Illustration Purposes Only (With Models) - istockphoto.com/warrengoldswain
For Illustration Purposes Only (With Models) - istockphoto.com/gilaxia
Were you already familiar with the benefits of allowing children to walk barefoot? Let us know in the comments and send this article to any of your friends with a baby in their lives.
Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!