Growth of Your Baby’s Feet
GROWTH OF YOUR BABY'S FEET
Babies’ feet are not fully formed when they are born, but they develop as they grow.
In the first months of life, the sole of the foot is surrounded by a layer of fat, which does not reveal the shape of the foot or the arch. Each bone in the foot ossifies at a different age; for instance, the calcaneus has its ossification nucleus at birth, however, the talus begins its fusion with the primary ossification nucleus around 11 years old and finishes ossifying around 13 years old.
A baby’s feet measure, at birth, a third of what they will measure when they reach adulthood. From birth, their feet grow very quickly, although not in the same way for everyone because every child is unique. Therefore, it is essential, once they start wearing shoes, to measure their feet every 15 days to ensure they are wearing the correct size and to avoid future problems such as crowding, claw toes, bunions, etc.
Until what age will my child's feet continue to grow?
The answer to this question is that the bones of the foot grow until the age of 16. Yes, you read that right, up to 16 years old. So, even if your child wears an adult size at 12, their feet can still grow more!
Stages of growth for baby's feet
- From 0 to 2 years: babies’ feet grow on average half a size (3 mm) every two months, that is, half a size. It is the period when the feet experience the fastest growth. At birth, a baby’s feet usually measure about 8 cm and have a triangular shape, as the ankle bones have not yet strengthened with walking. Between 7 and 18 months, the baby starts to crawl and take their first steps. At this stage, it is recommended for the baby to go barefoot, to promote their sensory development (we talk about this in our article “Baby Shoes and First Steps”).
- From 2 to 3 years: during this period, foot growth slows down, changing half a size every 3 or 4 months.
- From 4 to 7 years: during this phase, foot growth slows down, keeping its size almost always stable. It is from the age of 7 that children’s feet have a new growth spurt that won’t stop until they are 14-16 years old.
- From 4 to 7 years: during this phase, foot growth slows down, keeping its size almost always stable. It is from the age of 7 that children’s feet have a new growth spurt that won’t stop until they are 14-16 years old.
- From the age of 7: foot growth during this stage can vary greatly depending on the child, which is why it’s important to adjust footwear according to each moment and need.
Did you know that 99% of children are born with healthy feet, but only 1% reach adulthood without any alteration in their feet? One of the main causes is the footwear they use during their childhood and adolescence, which is why it’s so important to wear shoes that respect foot development.
Taking care of their feet from infancy will allow them to enjoy healthy footsteps throughout their adult life.
