Do Kids Need Arch Support in Their Shoes? Not If You Want Strong, Healthy Feet
- Mick Breen
- Apr 27, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 19
Most kids’ shoes are built on an outdated idea: that developing feet need arch support, stiff soles, ankle padding, and cushioning to grow “correctly.”
But here’s the truth: modern shoes may be causing the very problems they claim to prevent.
If you’re a parent still relying on arch support to get your kid through the day—or using it yourself—it’s time to rethink everything you’ve been told about feet, footwear, and development. This blog breaks down the myths, science, and real-world outcomes that explain why going barefoot (or close to it) is the real foundation for lifelong foot health.
Where the Arch Support Myth Came From
Babies are born with flat feet. It’s normal. Over time, as they walk, run, jump, and move, their arches form naturally through use and development.
But old-school thinking said those arches needed help. So shoes were designed to "support" the arch with extra padding and structure. But what started as a protective idea stuck around long after the results showed it wasn’t working.
Flat feet. Bunions. Overlapping toes. Heel pain. Foot surgery. Orthotics. If arch support was the solution, why are the problems still so common?
Feet Aren’t Broken. Shoes Are.
Your feet evolved to function on rough terrain—without shoes. They contain 26 bones, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments designed to work together. But modern shoes restrict that natural movement.
Studies comparing barefoot and shoe-wearing children show:
Barefoot kids have wider, stronger feet
Lower rates of deformities like bunions and hallux valgus
Better balance and motor control
South African kids (who grow up mostly barefoot) outperformed their German peers (who wear shoes early and often) in motor skill tests. Their feet are simply stronger because they’ve been used naturally.
Why Arch Support Makes Things Worse
An arch is like a spring—it needs to load and unload. It relies on internal muscle tension to hold form. But when we place a soft pad under the arch:
It removes the need for that tension
It weakens the foot’s natural support system
It changes how the entire lower body moves
And just like any unused muscle system, if you don’t use it, you lose it.
The result? Fallen arches, foot pain, collapsed gait, and a life of orthotics.
What Kids Really Need
What kids need isn’t support. It’s space, freedom, and function.
Flat soles so they feel the ground and learn to balance
Wide toe boxes to allow natural toe splay
Zero-drop design so they stand tall and aligned
No arch support so the arch gets stronger over time
Let them walk, climb, squat, and play barefoot as much as possible. The feet grow strong through movement, not support.
And if they do need shoes (weather, terrain, etc.), choose footwear that protects without interfering. Think of shoes as foot protection, not performance boosters.
A Myotherapist’s Perspective
After treating over 10,000 clients as a Myotherapist, I can confidently say this: most foot pain in adulthood starts with weak foundations built in childhood.
People don’t wake up with collapsed arches at 35. It’s the byproduct of shoes doing too much for too long.
Let the foot do its job, and most of these issues never appear in the first place.
What If It’s Too Late?
If you’re already struggling with foot pain, poor arches, or wearing orthotics, there’s still a way back.
You don’t need to rely on props forever. You need to rebuild the system.
Rebuild Your Feet From the Ground Up
🦶 Stride Strong is our 28-day foot strength program. It’s helped hundreds of people fix their pain, restore function, and finally walk and run pain-free.
👉 Download Stride Strong and start restoring your natural foot strength today.
Mick Breen is a Myotherapist and running technique specialist with over 18 years’ experience helping people rebuild strong, pain-free bodies—starting from the ground up.
Comments