How long does a baby’s foot grow?

Infants’ feet are not fully formed when they are born, but develop as they grow.

During the first months of life, the sole of the foot is surrounded by a layer of fat, which does not allow the shape of the foot or the plantar arch to be seen. Each bone of the foot ossifies at a different age, for example, the calcaneus has its ossification nucleus at birth, however, the talus begins its fusion with the primary ossification nucleus around 11 years of age and finishes ossifying around 13 years of age.

A baby’s feet measure, at birth, one third of what they will measure when they reach adulthood. From birth, their feet grow very fast, although not in the same way in all cases because each child is different. Therefore, it is essential, once they start wearing shoes, to measure their feet every 15 days to know that they have the correct size and to avoid future problems of crowding, claw toes, bunions,…

How old will my child’s feet grow to?

The answer to this question is that the bones of the foot grow until the age of 16. Yes, yes, you read that right, up to the age of 16, so even if your child wears an adult size at 12, they can still grow more!

Stages of foot growth in infants

From 0 to 2 years old:

Babies’ feet grow on average half a number (3 mm) every two months, i.e. half a size. This is the period when the feet experience the fastest foot growth. At birth, a baby’s feet are usually about 8 cm long and triangular in shape, as the ankle bones have not yet been strengthened by walking. Between 7 and 18 months, the baby begins to crawl and take its first steps. At this stage, it is recommended that the baby goes barefoot, to favor its sensory development (we talked about this in our article “Baby Shoes and First Steps“).

From 2 to 3 years old:

During this period, the growth of the foot slows down, changing half a number every 3 to 4 months.

From 4 to 7 years old:

During this phase, the growth of the foot slows down, keeping its size almost always stable. It is from the age of 7 that children’s feet start to grow again and will not stop until they are 14-16 years old.

From 7 years of age:

The growth of the foot during this stage can be very changeable, depending on each child, so it is important to adapt the footwear 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 wear during childhood and adolescence, which is why it is so important to wear shoes that respect the development of the feet.

Taking care of their feet from the time they are babies will allow them to enjoy healthy feet during their adulthood.