Are High Heels Appropriate Shoes For Young Girls?

When your daughter is still a little girl, it is common for her to want to put on your high heels and parade around the living room.  In fact, heels are a big part of pretending to be like mommy when we are little. 

The question is whether these are appropriate shoes for young girls on other occasions as well.  We have all seen beauty pageants where kids ages three and up are walking onstage in tiny high heels.  Are these really okay as little girl’s shoes?

While offering a blanket answer of "no" to this question seems judgmental, there is actually science behind it.  Tom and Katie may let little Suri Cruise go to the shoe store and pick out a handmade pair of little high heels, but it is actually a bad idea from a medical standpoint. 

Not only is the shape of the foot still forming during this period, meaning that heels could permanently alter it, but bones, tendons, and ligaments are still growing.  When you are a growing child, you need shoes for girls that offer support, not that require the foot to be held in an unnatural position.  Tendons and ligaments are still too weak at this age to properly support the ankle, and even occasional wearing of higher heeled shoes can cause injury in the form of slip, falls, twists and sprains.

The simple fact is that high heels are not appropriate shoes for little girls.  High-energy kids need to be able to balance properly at all times, and they need foot and ankle support that will provide them the ability to walk properly as they run and play.  Heels may be fantastic for playing dress up, and they may be mommy’s favorite, but until kids are fully developed in their late teens, a sensible pair of flats is honestly the best choice you can make for your young girl.