Walking barefoot would improve the motor skills of the child

Can walking barefoot make your child a future track and field champion? Only in part, concluded a study published April 25 in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics . Motricity seems in any case improved in children who regularly remove their shoes.

The experiment was conducted between March 2015 and June 2016 on nearly 800 children and adolescents. The volunteers, aged between 6 and 18 years old, came from two regions of the world: Germany and South Africa.

Among the selection criteria, young subjects were required to accumulate at least two hours of physical activity per week and should not suffer from orthopedic, neurological or neuromuscular disorders that could affect their performance

Balance, speed, jump …

Scientists divided participants into three clbades of age (6-10 years old, 11-14 years old and 15-18 years old). They then distinguished children accustomed to living with and without shoes. Sex, ethnicity and BMI of young people were also considered in the study.

The motor performance of the volunteers was evaluated on a balance test, a long jump exercise and a 20-meter sprint race . For the balance test, the children had to walk backwards on 3 beams of decreasing width (6 cm, 4,5cm and 3cm) at the pace they wanted. Results:

• Usually barefoot volunteers were better at the long jump exercise.
• Volunteers usually dressed were faster on the sprint race
• 6 and 10 year olds used to walking barefoot were better at the balance test

"Regular physical activity without shoes during childhood appear to be beneficial to the development of balance and jump performance ", concluded the authors of the study.

A Different Morphology

Motor skills are fundamental in the growth and development of children and adolescents. It depends on permanent interactions between the brain, the muscles and the environment

Motor skills can be influenced by the morphological characteristics of the foot . This morphology differs between people regularly shod and barefoot. Thus, individuals who grow up without shoes generally develop wider feet, with a higher arch and a less pronounced deviation of the big toe.

The results of this experiment have yet to be confirmed by other studies. Leaving your child off his shoes from time to time seems like a good idea. A precaution that will allow a more natural walking movement, especially during indoor activities.