If you look back at the day you bought shoes for your elder child, you will most likely remember how carefully you selected, measured and checked them so that they were perfect – made to measure. When putting on shoes passed down from the elder child on the younger one, the size is often not as well-matched. Hand-me-down shoes can be too big. It would seem that there's nothing wrong with a little wiggle room. Nothing could be further from the truth – keep in mind that it is not the foot that is supposed to grow into the shoe – it's the shoe that is meant to fit the foot. Due to the wrong shoe size, the child will take steps incorrectly, lift the legs unnaturally, which is a burden on the spine and pelvis.
Not only shoes are inherited...
There is a high probability that the child will take on the wrong habits and deficiencies of its predecessor. A toddler will fail to naturally develop their own proper way of placing feet, as it will adapt to their previous user.
Footwear is like underwear...
The hygienic aspect should also be taken into account. Each of us has a different bacterial flora, each of us has a different resistance to microorganisms. Putting on someone else's shoes may result in (albeit rarely in the case of children) mycosis or other bacterial infection. A child's foot sweats a lot more than an adult's foot. Footwear should have one owner. It is not easy to wash, hardly anyone disinfects it – so it is difficult to keep it clean.
Prevention, of course, is better than treatment...
It's good to know that a child's delicate feet are soft and supple. It is the first years of life that determine the proper development of muscles and ligaments that form the arches of the feet. It is only around 5-6 years of age that the arch of the child's foot fully develops, which is why it is so important to choose the right footwear. This will help avoid posture problems in adulthood.
It makes more sense moneywise...
To sum up, despite the obvious economic benefits, it is definitely better to opt for new shoes. Brand new, soft, breathable, ones that will support the natural development of the little one's feet and will not disturb their proper functioning. This will allow us to prevent inconveniences related to treatment and rehabilitation down the line.