Thomas heel in children’s shoes: the main functions

Many parents know that Thomas heel is one of the essential parts of children’s shoes but not all of them know its functions. In this article, we will tell you about Thomas heel in detail, keep on reading!

Thomas heel is an essential part of the orthopedic children's shoes. All children can wear shoes with Thomas heel: both those who are just taking their first steps and those who are already walking and running on their own. The main purpose of such a heel is to correctly distribute the shock load on the foot when walking and running as well as to prevent the foot from turning inwards. The inside part of Thomas heel is longer than the outer part as it hardens the shoe sole under the inside part of the foot.

It should be understood that the main characteristic of the right children's shoes is comfort. The foot arch is formed for each child individually. The main task of children's preventive shoes is not to interfere with this natural process. In fact, Thomas heel just distributes the load, helping the fragile child’s muscles to cope with it. Due to its structure, Thomas heel doesn’t allow the leg to excessively move inwards which means that it corrects the child’s gait.

The child spends at least 3-4 hours walking in shoes. Pavements, playgrounds, and even parks are not the best places to walk barefoot, that’s why orthopedists recommend wearing shoes with Thomas heels. There are 3 simple reasons for it: it’s comfortable, it’s safe, it won’t prevent the foot from developing normally while correcting the child’s gait.

Preventive children's shoes have a standard 5 mm Thomas heel. This is the best option for healthy feet without orthopedic problems approved by orthopedists.