We must note some of the features of ideal footwear, or physiological footwear (as it is known in the podiatry and healthcare worlds), that are common to all developmental stages: natural materials, breathable, and/or quality technical materials. Shoes should have a physiological form, good fit to the foot, and provide stability without corrective elements. There should be flexibility in the area around the front of foot and the soles should have enough grip and cushioning while not being excessively thick. There should be zero difference in height between the heel and the front of the shoe. There should also be minimal seams on the inside, a stable back that does not limit the joint mobility of the foot and ankle, and it is recommendable to have a removable insole.

We also must remember that children should not wear shoes until they start to crawl, and they should have a specific shoe for crawling. In those first months, socks or very flexible, lightweight baby booties should be worn with the sole aim of protecting the skin and protecting from the cold. Subsequently, in the crawling and pre-walking stage, we should opt for light footwear with reinforcement in the toe; it should be quite flexible and allow for the free movement of the foot and ankle joints, wide in the toe area, and have a minimal sole thickness to help with proprioception. There should not be inner seams.

From the time when the first steps and walking begin, the footwear should have a heel counter that doesn't extend too far from side to side and that doesn't compromise the Achilles tendon insertion; that is to say, a low heel counter. And, of course, the common features mentioned before are still important. Beginning when the child starts to move about independently with a certain degree of stability, certain orthopaedic treatments could be applied, like support for the bottom of the foot (custom insoles) for cases with podological alterations or pathologies of a certain degree of severity and in which early action is important to resolve the problem, with medical advice. At these ages --around two or three years-- it is very important for the footwear to have a removable insole and for it to be designed based on physiology to be able to take good care of the foot without having to turn to orthopaedic or custom shoes, which are currently only used for very complex abnormalities and specific cases. Of course, it is not a good idea to use an older sibling's shoes or shoes that belonged to another family member.