1.      “The long-term effects of wearing moderate minimalist shoes on a child’s foot strength, muscle structure and balance: A randomised controlled trial”, Shayan Quinlan et al, Gait & Posture, Volume 92, February 2022, Pages 371-377 (available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.12.009)

Highlights:

Wearing moderate minimalist shoes long-term improves balance in children

Balance is correlated with toe strength and jump distance.

Moderate minimalist children’s footwear designs are recommended.

 

2.      “Minimalist school shoes improve intrinsic foot muscle size, strength, and arch integrity among primary school students”, Alycia Fong Yan et al, Journal of Sports Sciences Volume 42, 2024 - Issue 12, (available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2024.2386213)

Highlights:

Use of minimalist school shoes for two school terms may result in an increase in intrinsic foot muscle size, strength, and arch height. 

The cross-sectional area of both the AH and FDB, hallux and lesser toe flexor strength, and arch height demonstrated improvement after two school terms of wearing minimalist school shoes. 

Observed a greater arch height in the participants in the minimalist group, suggesting larger and stronger intrinsic foot muscles that support the arch structure.

 

3.      “How barefoot and conventional shoes affect the foot and gait characteristics in toddlers”, Marta Gimunova et al, PLoS One. 2022 Aug 23, (available at: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9398026/)

Highlights:

The results of this study show a higher plantar arch and a smaller foot progression angle in the BF group. 

These findings may encourage parents and caregivers to introduce barefoot shoes or create a habitual barefoot time for their child.

 

4.      “Foot motion in children shoes—A comparison of barefoot walking with shod walking in conventional and flexible shoes” Sebastian Wolf et al, Gait & Posture 27 (2008) 51–59 (available at: Foot motion in children shoes—A comparison of barefoot walking with shod walking in conventional and flexible shoes - ScienceDirect

Highlights:

The increased prevalence for flatfoot and hallux valgus in modern societies may be the consequence of inadequate footwear in childhood.

Based on the assumption that barefoot walking represents the best condition for the development of a healthy foot the objective of this study was to monitor the influence of commercial footwear on children’s foot motion during walking.

The present study shows that slimmer and more flexible children’s shoes do not change foot motion as much as conventional shoes and therefore should be recommended for healthy children in general.

 

5.      “The effects of foot core exercises and minimalist footwear on foot muscle sizes, foot strength, and biomechanics: A systematic review and meta-analysis”,  Jean-Louis Peter-Dickie et al, Clinical Biomechanic, Volume 122, Feb 2025, 106417 (available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2024.106417 )

Highlights:

The use of minimalist shoes during running or daily life seem to result in increased foot muscle sizes and foot strength, and a more forefoot-oriented strike pattern during running.