If you’re a parent of growing children, you may know all too well how hard it is to find a shoe that fits your child well for an extended period of time. Even when they are not wearing the shoes out, they may outgrow the shoe in a matter of months. When can you expect their foot growth to slow or come to a stop? We take a closer look at normal foot growing patterns in today’s blog.
How Long Will Feet Grow?
Our feet are all different shapes and sizes, and they all grow at their own rate. However, in general, girls typically see that their foot growth slows around 14-15 years of age, and boys will typically slow down around 16-17. With that said, the growth plates in our feet don’t usually fully close until around 18-20 years old, so you can still have some growth during your late teen years. And while this is the standard expected growth chart, some people will notice that their feet stop growing earlier or later than those averages.
Other studies have taken a look at when feet tend to grow the most. One study published in the National Library of Medicine found that the average peak in shoe size increase for girls was around 10.4 years old and for boys it was around 11.5 years old. So while foot growth starts at birth, in general these growth spurts tend to peak around the 10-12 year range for young boys and girls. Is this when you found that it was hardest to find the right fitting shoes for your child?
And finally, know that just because your feet are done growing, it doesn’t mean that their shape will stay the same for the rest of your life. Many women experience swelling and foot arch issues during pregnancy, while older adults may also notice some heel pad atrophy and the possibility of fallen foot arches as a result of natural degeneration. Foot shape can also change as a result of an injury.
So while finding the right sized shoe for your child may be a pain right now, know that it won’t go on forever. Their foot growth should slow down around the 14-16 year mark, and then you’re only a couple years away from likely having a fully formed growth plate in the foot. Puberty is also a time when their feet may be exposed to injury as the bones are undergoing rapid periods of growth, so if your teen complains of new foot pain, consider taking them in to your primary care physician or a foot and ankle specialist like Dr. Silverman.