After my 4-year-old sustained a set of blisters on the bottom of his big toes while wearing a pair of beloved Crocs, I went down a Reddit rabbit hole to figure out whether every kid’s favorite summer shoe style is actually the worst. What I found: Crocs-style shoes aren’t just ugly. (I SAID IT.) They can cause real harm to our kids’ delicate little piggies, developing gaits, and more — at least according to the internet.
To dig deeper, I reached out to an IRL pediatric podiatrist… and proceeded to pry my one-year-old’s itty-bitty pink Crocs from her cute little feet, pronto. Here’s why.
What makes Crocs-style shoes potentially problematic?
Whenever a doctor like Priya Parthasarathy, DPM, spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association and partner at US Foot and Ankle Specialists in Silver Spring, Maryland, tells you something is OK “in moderation,” you know there’s some sort of dark side. Turns out Crocs are “acceptable for the pool/beach for short periods” but “do not provide enough support in the arch or enough stability in the heel” for kiddos, says Dr. Parthasarathy, a mother of three.
Unlike sneakers, sandals, and water shoes that tie, Velcro, or buckle, what makes Crocs distinct is their material (foamy plastic), plus the wide fit, lack of arch support, and insufficient stability. What’s more, the back strap doesn’t do much to keep the shoe in place — one reason why my poor son surfaced with a Band-Aid on each toe.
“The combination of the plastic construction and the lack of the heel support may require him to grip the inside of the shoe with his toes as he walks, resulting in blisters,” Parthasarathy told me. “Crocs are also waterproof but not moisture-wicking, so if his feet sweat in the Crocs, this can cause friction blisters.” Eek.
At this point, you may be like, “But my kid wears socks with Crocs!” However, it’s worth noting that socks only help protect feet from Crocs blisters in some cases since they can either absorb sweat, improve the fit, and provide another layer of foot protection… or hang onto moisture and further contribute to friction blisters. What’s that they say about good intentions?!
Even less cool: “We may not know the full effects of [wearing Crocs as regular shoes] for years to come,” Parthasarathy says, citing the potential for long-lasting consequences such as hammertoes and ball-of-foot pain. *gulp* That’s on top of Sever’s disease (swelling and irritation of the growth plate in the heel) and every other injury that becomes imminent when shoes accidentally flop off kids’ feet during active play.
But Crocs are not all bad, right?
Any adult with multiple children or limited patience for securing shoes to small people’s feet knows that Crocs-style shoes empower young children to exercise independence when it’s time to leave the house, and that’s not nothing. “My 3-year-old can put Crocs on himself, which is a godsend when I’m trying to get three young boys, including a one-year-old, out the door quickly,” Parthasarathy says. She also gives Crocs a thumbs up for kids with wide feet since they let the toes spread, prohibiting hammertoes.
Speaking to Romper in 2019, another podiatrist, Dr. Emily Splichal, also gave Crocs-style shoes a (conditional) thumbs up, saying, “I’m actually not opposed to a child wearing Crocs as long as they are walking mechanically the right way and picking up their foot with each step. If the child can control the mobility of the foot there is no negative to wearing Crocs.”
And, of course, the shoes that fashion forgot get extra points for being easy to clean, lightweight, and breathable with some cushioning. Outdoors in short bouts, there’s no question that they beat bare feet — at least according to this mom, who stepped on a bee at the beach last summer and still cringes at the memory.
How important are the “right” shoes for little kids?
Recently, after 72 rounds of trying to convince my one-year-old to wear her Vans sneakers rather than “DEESE SHOES!” (her pink Crocs), I gave up. (Sorry, Dr. Parthasarathy!) Subsequently, I wallowed in guilt — my girl has only been walking for some six months, two of which she’s been exclusively and quite happily wearing Crocs. She doesn’t fall or complain of foot pain; she always gravitates toward these shoes. How much damage are we doing here?!
“The right shoes are so important, especially for little kiddos,” Parthasarathy reiterates as I slump in my seat. “Kids without the right shoes for their feet often come into my office with heel pain, complaining of tired feet or arch pain,” she warns.
Luckily, my daughter hasn’t filed any verbal complaints thus far. (To be fair, she might not have the words to do so.) But Parthasarathy upholds that they’re a particularly bad option for toddlers still getting the hang of the whole walking thing. “They need to work harder to keep the Crocs on their feet due to the lack of Velcro or lace-up closure, which can lead to tripping and falling, especially with their wide feet.”
While there’s no gold standard of best shoes for every kid, the best pair for your child is wide enough to accommodate their feet, has a firm heel counter (i.e., the back doesn’t collapse), and is appropriate for the activity — no sandals for soccer class, obvi.
So, what shoes does Parthasarathy recommend?
Sneakers aren’t always an option. In fact, they’re pretty sucky anywhere feet get wet.
“My one-year-old wears water shoes since they can be fastened to his feet and provide a protective layer on hot pool decks/sand, my 3-year-old wears Crocs since he can put them on and take them off himself and also offer him some protection at the pool/beach/yard, and my 8-year-old wears Birkenstock’s EVA waterproof sandals that he can slide on and off and that offer him more arch support and deeper heel cup for stability,” Parthasarathy reveals. She also likes ORA Recovery Slide 3 Youth Sandal | HOKA® if you’re really ready to throw fashion to the wind.
And sometimes? “You just have to go the Croc route to get out of the house,” she says. “That’s OK as long as you limit the amount of time your child wears them and you pick the appropriate setting to wear them.”
In other words, keep your family’s Crocs in the rotation for pool and beach use or short errands — no ifs, ands, or buts, and definitely no playgrounds.
Scary Mommy reached out to Crocs for comment but did not hear back at the time of publication.
