Initial Foot Development
New parents are often very concerned about the health of their children early in life. Attention is usually focused on their inquisitive eyes, grasping hands, and developing teeth. But what attention is paid to their still-developing feet? Often far too little, especially considering these are the appendages that will carry the weight of their body through a lifetime.
Only a small percentage of the world's population is actually born with foot problems. Rather, foot problems often arise later in life do to neglect and a lack of proper care and development earlier in life. During your child's first year, their feet will be incredibly soft and pliable. As such, any abnormal, repetitive pressures can easily cause the foot to deform. This is why foot specialists consider the first year to be the most important in the development of the feet.
The Ideal Conditions
Going barefoot is not only enjoyable, it's actually very healthy for the initial development of young feet. Studies show that walking barefoot early in life actually helps feet form properly and aids in musculature growth. By allowing the toes freedom to perform their natural "grasping" actions, the feet naturally develop strength and coordination.
Of course, going barefoot is isn't always practical. When walking outside or on rough surfaces, babies' feet need to be covered. Their soft, tender skin needs protection from the dangers of infection through accidental cuts and abrasion. This is when proper footwear becomes very important.
Proper Footwear
When choosing footwear to protect young developing feet, experts agree you should look for the following qualities:
- Lightweight The shoes should not be heavy or impede the child's movement in any way.
- Flexible/Soft The shoes should not restrict important toe and foot mobility, nor should they bind the growing feet in any way.
- Breathable Constructed of breathable natural materials, such as leather, to promote healthy conditions around the feet.
- Flat The shoes should not have any arch support. They should simulate barefoot conditions.
By following these simple guidelines, and measuring for a proper fit, your child's feet will be off to a healthy start. Of course it's no surprise that Pedoodles were designed to meet all these criteria. What is surprising is how great they look at the same time.
Fun Foot Facts
The foot is a complex and amazing part of the human body. With 26 bones in each foot, your feet account for over 1/4 of the bones in your body. No less then 19 muscles and 107 ligaments are used to control the movement of each foot -- and quite a job they have. The average person takes 8,000-10,000 steps a day with their feet, which adds up to roughly 115,000 miles over a lifetime. That's enough walking to circle the earth four times!
To cope with all this activity there are over 250,000 sweat glands in your feet and these glands can excrete as much as a half-pint of moisture a day. Your feet are also able to handle tremendous pressures. When walking, you place about 2-3 times your body weight in pressure on your feet. When running, this pressure can increase to nearly 7 times your body weight.
If babies were born with shoes...
...they would be wearing Pedoodles. Gone are the days of stiff, heavy, constrictive children's footwear. Medical experts agree, the best shoes are ones that simply act as a protective second skin for the feet while they develop naturally. The best shoes are Pedoodles!
In creating Pedoodles, our goal was to create soft, comfortable, quality footwear that kids really love to wear. In doing so, we've delighted parents and gift seekers alike, with our fun designs that become fast favorites. Our shoes provide the best possible fit for your child's feet, their personality, and the way they live.
What makes Pedoodles so special?
If you were a kid, these would be the shoes you want. Soft, stylish, and durable -- Pedoodles have it all.
Leather Construction
Every pair of Pedoodles is constructed of premium, top-grade, genuine leather. This flexible, breathable, natural material helps to promote healthy conditions around developing feet. Our choice of leather also requires very little care or cleaning to maintain its great looks -- something Pedoodles are known for.
PedFlex™ Flat-Rubber Soles
Going barefoot is excellent for foot development, but it isn't always practical. When walking outside or on rough surfaces, tender skin needs to be protected. Our exclusive PedFlex™ flat-rubber soles are the answer. These lightweight and extremely flexible soles provide protection, durability, and traction -- important for outdoor use.
Soft & Flexible
Young feet are incredibly soft and pliable. Any footwear you put on them should be the same. Pedoodles are not the hard, stiff "bucket" shoes of the past. We've designed them to be soft and flexible, with plenty of "wiggle room" for developing toes and feet. Our shoes naturally flex and form to your child's changing feet.
Seamless Footbed
All Pedoodles have soft, flat insoles that create a seamless footbed for tender young feet. The absence of any arch support helps to simulate barefoot walking conditions, which experts recommend.
No Laces To Tie
We like to keep it simple here at Pedoodles, so none of our shoes have laces to tie. Our First Feet Collection and Northwoods slipper feature expandable ankle entry systems that allow their feet to slide into the shoes easily. Once they're on, they stay on. Shoes in our Next Steps Collection make use of Velcro straps or unique pulls to secure the foot. They'll have plenty of time for laces when they're older.
Great Looks
There is no mistaking Pedoodles unique styling. Our attractive colors and fun characters will capture your child's imagination and spur their fashion sense at an early age. Read what some of our customers have to say about Pedoodles Baby Shoes.
