Surely more than once you have looked at your little one thinking, "my goodness what energy they have", "they're inexhaustible", "please, I need to know what kind of batteries they use...so I can get some for myself".
And it's because all those things they do without thinking (but which sometimes give us a near heart attack), like climbing trees, chasing butterflies, jumping in puddles, going up stairs four at a time, or even running a thousand laps around the house delaying bedtime, for them it's just normal, for us it's life, and for their feet, it's championship training.
When was the last time you thought about your little one's feet?
Let me guess...it was probably when their shoes got too small, or when a sock appeared with a hole in the big toe, or when they came home from the park with feet so black they looked like they had crossed the Amazon barefoot...
And, to be honest, between school, extracurriculars, work, the never-ending laundry, the backpack, the "Mommyyyyyyy" every 30 seconds, feet are not usually at the top of our worries...we rarely stop to think about the two structures that support all these adventures and allow our little ones to maintain that frantic pace of life and activity they lead.
But yes...feet are literally present in every step of our children's lives, in every run and every discovery they make, supporting the weight of their body and all those good ideas that spring from their thinking little heads...They are there at every moment, as they support, grow, strengthen, and learn to adapt to our little ones' world.
Let's talk a little bit about feet.
Did you know that each foot is made up of 26 bones, 22 muscles, and over 100 ligaments? Said like that, I don't know about you, but I imagine an epic mess down there, an engineering marvel that surpasses the Boeing 747, and which, as luck would have it, accompanies each of us throughout life (or that's the idea at least...Captain Peg-Leg here would have his reservations 😅). Therefore, caring for them from childhood can make a big difference.
And it's because the moment we are born, our feet begin to evolve and develop. In them, the foundation of balance, posture, gait, and countless motor skills that we don't initially associate with them will be built, but which will allow our little ones to run, jump, climb, and explore the limits of our cardiac health in all their adventures...
Healthy feet promote natural development and prevent problems that could appear later, related to posture, structures like the back, neck, legs...
And here comes a question you surely hadn't asked yourself: Did you know that 99% of children are born with healthy feet, but only a small percentage reach adulthood without any alteration in them? BOOM.
Well, yes...and among the many factors that can influence the development of these pathologies, the footwear used during childhood plays a prominent role. And why kid ourselves, we're pretty good at this, so we can tell you lots of things about it.
And that's how this foot guide was born. No, our goal is not for you to start analyzing their feet every night, but for you to have simple, practical information without technical jargon at your fingertips, because taking care of your little ones' feet is easier than it seems.
In this guide, of which we will soon publish more chapters, you will discover curiosities about feet, their evolution, what things are normal and what things deserve to be monitored or even consulted with a professional, and how to choose footwear that accompanies this development, along with a lot of tips that you can apply in your daily life.
So get comfortable, make yourself a coffee (and if by the time you start reading, it's still hot, CONGRATULATIONS 😝), and join us.
We are going to talk about those great little heroes who take our little ones to explore the world step by step. Ready? 👣
