If your child is the typical American preschooler or grades schooler, he or she selects shoes based on whether they light up or what favorite character is featured on the side. But shoes do matter for young kids, and getting the right ones can help ensure their feet develop correctly.

The Developing Foot

About 75 percent of people in the U.S. have foot pain at some point in their lives, and a lot of that is due to ill-fitting shoes that force the toes into unnatural positions. And kids are more active than the average adult -- by forcing them to wear shoes that are too tight, for example, you're starting those stresses on the foot's 26 bones and 33 joints early and increasing the odds of creating some sort of foot problem later in life.

In fact, much of a kid's foot is cartilage, which gets replaced by bone as they grow. Damage or deform that cartilage, and your child is at risk for his or her life. Foot bones are not fully mature until a female is at least 18 and a male is 20 to 21 years old.

Other Issues from Poorly Fit Shoes

Shoes that are too tight can lead to:

• Bunions
• Heel pain
• Hammertoes
• Ulcers
• Poor posture
• Bad gait due to a shortened Achilles tendon

While these typically develop after the child is grown, some, like athlete's foot or ingrown toenails, can be painful issues at any time of life.

Tight shoes are a no-no, but shoes that are too large are an issue as well. If your child's feet slide around in overly big shoes, he or she is at greater risk of blisters and calluses; as well, injuries are more likely.

Finding the Right Fit

Kids' feet grow rapidly -- unbelievably rapidly, it can seem to a parent on a budget. Toddlers and preschoolers can move through two sizes each year, so it's important to check their feet regularly and make sure their toes aren't right at the end of their shoes.

Very few parents get their children's feet properly measured, but many children's shoe stores still offer this service. You can sometimes find measurement tools or download your own from the internet should you want or need to measure your kids' feet yourself.

There's more to good fit than the right size, however. When you find a pair of shoes that seems like a good choice for your kid, check the following:

• Stiff heel. A stiffer heel is necessary for good support. Press on both sides of the heel -- it should give a little but not collapse.
• Flexible toes. The toes of the shoe need to be able to bend with your child's feet. Move the shoe's toes gently up and down a few times to be sure they'll fit.
• No twisting. Shoes should not twist in the middle, unless they're slippers.

Questions about how your child's feet are developing? A podiatrist can help with any issues you are having and advise on the proper footwear for kids at any age. To learn more, contact a professional like Aiken Maurice W, DPM PA with any questions you have.