When a child initiates ambulation, the muscles, bones, and joints are developing in such a fashion as to improve the foundation of the child's body. When the child first initiates ambulation, their foot is fat, flat, and floppy, with no arch and a significant fat pad in the area of the arch. The child's foot generally appears quite flattened; this is generally a fairly stable base of support. As a child begins to become more efficient with their walking activities, the foot becomes stronger, the ranges of motion become less, and the foot slowly develops an arch. As this occurs, there is a gripping motion of the toes that occurs for stability. This is generally influenced by what are called the intrinsic muscles of the foot. These are the short muscles in the foot that help to develop the arch.

It is appropriate for a non-walking child to wear shoes for the sake of protection. A soft flexible covering of a natural material such as leather is certainly appropriate for a child's foot. As the child initiates ambulation, I feel that utilizing some type of a protective cover is also appropriate whether indoors or outdoors. The shoe should be made of natural materials such as leather and should not restrict the developing child's foot movement or motion. A shoes that contours well with the foot and the area of the heel and the arch and the ball of the foot, works best for a child. Being able to slip the shoe on and off the child's foot is beneficial as well.

The effectiveness of Robeez soft-soled leather shoes is that it does provide protection for the child's foot when walking, and it does allow the normal amount of foot movement and motion to occur. There is no restriction of the normal contraction of the muscles, and the muscles are allowed to work and develop step after step, allowing the child's foot to become stronger and more efficient. Is this the optimum way to learn to walk? If the child's foot is a normal foot, then clearly this is the optimum way to learn to walk. This will allow all the muscles to develop in a normal fashion and it will allow the muscles of the leg to also develop normally. However, in cases where there is an element of excessive flattening of the foot, a flexible show may actually allow greater foot flattening to occur, which would not enhance improvement of foot development.

The overall features of the 1st Stepz do allow the child's foot to develop in a normal fashion. The shoe is flexible enough that it does not inhibit the ability of the child's foot muscles to function properly and to develop properly. The materials allow the child's skin to breathe and do not restrict the normal perspiration which occurs. The materials will be instrumental in protecting the child's foot from any stray foreign objects, which might otherwise injure the child's foot.

If the child's foot is developing in a normal fashion, the child does not need a hard leather soled shoe; in fact, a hard inflexible shoe can inhibit the child's ability to have their foot develop in a normal fashion. On the other hand, if the child is developing with a significant flat footed problem where there is too much movement or motion of their foot their muscles may tend to be incapable of allowing normal walking to occur. A stiffer hard leather type of shoe will be most helpful. In cases where I am treating children who have gait problems associated with abnormal flattening of their foot, I always recommend the use of a stiffer soled leather shoe.