Why second-hand Vinted shoes could harm your child’s growing feet, according to a footwear expert

A footwear expert shares three hidden risks of passing shoes between siblings.

Close-up of boy wearing sneakers

Published: February 16, 2026 at 10:40 AM

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With children outgrowing shoes at lightning speed, it is no surprise that many families pass trainers and school shoes down between siblings. It feels practical, sustainable and cost-effective.

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But according to one footwear expert, this common money-saving habit could come with hidden health risks for growing feet.

Leanna Spektor, co-founder and style expert at Brand House Direct, is urging parents to think twice before reusing children’s shoes, warning that they can affect everything from posture to infection risk.

Why children’s feet are especially vulnerable

Children’s feet are still developing for much of their childhood. At six months old, a baby’s foot is mostly cartilage. Even by the age of 10, feet are far from fully formed, with bones not fully hardening until around age 13.

That means the structure, alignment and support children receive from their footwear matters more than many parents realise.

“Every child has their own unique gait and foot structure,” Spektor explains. “When you pass shoes from one child to another, you're asking the second child to walk in someone else's footprint.”

According to Spektor, once a shoe has been worn in by one child, it becomes moulded to their individual pressure points and walking pattern, making it unsuitable for another child - even a sibling.

The three hidden dangers of hand-me-down shoes

If you have ever looked at a pair of barely worn trainers and thought they seem perfectly fine, you are not alone. However, Spektor says the risks are not always visible from the outside.

1. Pre-moulded footbeds that alter development

As children walk, run and play, their shoes adapt to them. The midsole compresses and the interior shapes itself around their unique gait.

“The shoe creates a custom footbed for that child,” says Leanna. “A second child forced to walk in those shoes takes a path that wasn't designed for them. This can lead to inward-rolling ankles, flat foot development, or poor posture that follows them into adulthood.”

Because children’s feet can grow by up to half a size every two to four months in early childhood, and their bones are still soft and forming, this kind of misalignment may have longer-term consequences.

2. Collapsed internal support

One of the biggest misconceptions is that if a shoe looks good on the outside, it must still be supportive.

“Parents see a shoe that looks barely worn and think it's fine,” Leanna notes. “But the internal support structures have already collapsed for the first child's foot shape. The second child is walking in a shoe with zero actual support, which can be worse than wearing no shoes at all.”

Arch support, heel counters and cushioning all break down with wear, even if the sole and uppers look almost new. For growing children, that lost structure could mean less stability during crucial developmental years.

3. Fungal infections and bacteria

There is also a hygiene factor to consider.

Children’s feet have the same number of sweat glands in a much smaller surface area. That moisture can seep into trainers and school shoes, creating an environment where fungi and bacteria thrive.

“Athlete's foot and verrucas can remain dormant in shoe materials for months,” warns Leanna. “The moment a new child's warm foot enters that shoe, those fungi reactivate. Around 30% of children are affected by fungal foot infections, and shared footwear is a major transmission route.”

Even if shoes look and smell clean, spores can linger inside materials long after the first wearer has outgrown them.

“Shoes act as a medical device for growing children”

While passing down coats, jumpers and fancy dress outfits can make financial sense, Spektor believes shoes should be treated differently.

“I understand the appeal of passing down shoes, especially with how quickly children outgrow them. But shoes are the only piece of clothing that acts as a medical device for a growing child. They support skeletal development during the most vulnerable years,” she says.

Shoes are the only piece of clothing that acts as a medical device for a growing child. They support skeletal development during the most vulnerable years.

Leanna Spektor, Co-Founder & Style Expert at Brand House Direct

Her advice is clear: everyday footwear such as school shoes and trainers should ideally be bought new for each child.

“If you must pass down footwear, stick to rigid items worn only a handful of times, like patent leather party shoes or wellingtons that haven't molded to a specific gait. But everyday trainers, school shoes, or anything worn regularly should always be bought new for each child,” she says.

What this means for parents

With household budgets under pressure, replacing shoes regularly can feel daunting. However, experts suggest that fit, structure and hygiene should take priority when it comes to children’s developing feet.

If you are unsure, look out for signs of wear inside the shoe, not just on the sole, and consider professional fitting for school and everyday pairs.

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While hand-me-downs remain a brilliant solution for many items in your child’s wardrobe, when it comes to footwear, it may be one area where new really is best.

Authors

MadeForMums team

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