And prioritize healthy foot development
If you are a parent, you know that your child’s first steps are sacred milestones. You want nothing more than to see them walk like a champ. Odds are you put shoes on their feet before leaving the house this morning. Shoes are shoes, right? According to Podiatrist Dr. Jay LeBow, the answer to that question is: not necessarily. The shoes we put on our little ones are crucial to their healthy foot development. Your child’s foot is completely different from an adult’s foot, and that’s why he and his co-founder, Mike Gugat, created jbrds – children’s footwear anatomically designed to meet the developmental needs of young children. We’re so excited to be partnering with jbrds to help educate families about the importance of proper footwear for a child’s gross motor development.
What makes your child’s foot different from yours?
While adults have a developed arch in their foot, children do not. The bones that are critical to a baby’s ability to stand, balance, and walk are still developing. At around the age of one, your baby develops a cuboid bone which provides the stability of the foot. Luckily, jbrds’ Stand2Walk Shoes support the lateral column and developing cuboid bone while stabilizing your child’s heel.
Why does this matter?
As they grow, a child’s foot evolves into an adult foot. Children usually begin to develop an arch at three years old, which will become noticeable by the age of seven. When babies are born, their feet are made mostly out of cartilage. This cartilage eventually ossifies into the 26 bones that comprise an adult foot. Because of the lack of arch in a child’s foot, wearing a miniature version of an adult shoe does not serve the crucial development in their younger years. Unfortunately, these shoes might be causing issues for your children, whether you realize it or not. Oftentimes, the shoes you put on your children are inflexible and can restrict the natural movement of your child’s foot. This prevents your child from learning how to walk to the best of their ability.
So, why jbrds?
The founders of jbrds redesigned the standard kid’s shoe with your baby’s foot development in mind. When Dr. Jay LeBow began designing the Stand2Walk Shoe, he found that manufacturers did not have the appropriate shoe last—which is the starting point of every shoe design around which a shoe is molded—for an infant. This is because big name shoe brands use an adult shoe last and shrink it down to child size. Conversely, every feature of jbrd’s Stand2Walk Shoe promotes the healthy foot development of your little one. The sock-like upper and injection-molded support cage are designed to promote the healthy development of the feet and lower extremities by supporting the weight bearing structure of their developing foot. It is the immovable part of the shoe that stabilizes their still forming heel, making it easier to stand, balance, and walk. The suede outsole allows just enough grip for your baby so they don’t get tripped up when taking some of their first steps, while the 0-drop outsole promotes the development of healthy tendons to hopefully limit future foot and ankle problems. jbrds’ mission is to start children off on the right foot for a lifetime of physical activity.
With all that being said, it’s time to start dressing your little one for success. And, you don’t have to sacrifice putting adorable shoes on your mini me, either. The jbrds Stand2Walk Shoes come in Pearl Ivory, White Nimbus Cloud, and White Rainbow Burst starting in size 3 and up to size 6, perfect for infants 6–18 months old. They are the perfect addition to your child’s style, while being the safest shoe on the market.