How barefoot and conventional shoes affect the foot and gait characteristics

As a barefoot shoe expert, I'm always interested in how different types of footwear affect foot development and gait patterns, even in the very youngest. There's a 2022 study by Gimunová et al. that offers fascinating insights into exactly this question. The study was conducted in Brno, Czech Republic. 30 toddlers were observed over seven months — 15 wearing barefoot shoes, 15 wearing conventional shoes. 

The first measurement took place within one month of the first five independent steps, the second seven months later. The original title of the study is: "How barefoot and conventional shoes affect the foot and gait characteristics."
Toddlers who habitually wear barefoot shoes show a higher plantar arch — in other words, a higher foot arch. This suggests that barefoot shoes can support healthier development of the foot arch. The study also observed that forefoot width in both groups — those wearing conventional shoes and those wearing barefoot shoes — remained proportional to foot length. This suggests that barefoot shoes do not negatively affect the natural shape of a child's foot.

Something I find particularly important is the smaller foot progression angle: compared to children in conventional shoes, the barefoot shoe wearers showed a smaller foot progression angle. A smaller foot progression angle could indicate a more natural and efficient gait.

Find here the result of the study:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0273388

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