Preventing Foot Pain with Innovative Shoes
Our feet are naturally designed to function at their optimal level when they are supported adequately. Your energy level, posture, and overall weight distribution are greatly impacted by the status of your feet. Over time, high impact on the wrong parts of our feet can lead to damage in the ankles, legs, joints and even back. Our feet are powerful natural shock absorbers; when we walk, the impact can be equivalent to almost two times our body weight, and up to five times when we run.
You can reduce this impact by using in-sole cushioning pieces within your shoes, or purchasing customized footwear. Z-Coil is a new brand on the market that offers a unique opportunity; this sports-like shoe looks just like any athletic shoe except for one signature difference. The entire heel portion is composed of a black, spiral-like coil. According to Z-Coil, their footwear provides huge shock reduction and better pressure redistribution throughout your entire foot!Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ It is promoted as ‘Pain Relief Footwear’, and the basic design is available in a variety of styles of sandals, boots, and athletic shoes.
From the side, the shoe looks like it is sitting on a spring; the Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½Z-Orthotic’ composition cradles your feet perfectly, and you feel instantly more stable. The spring on the back acts as a super-cushion; users easily Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½spring’ forward with this suspension system, effectively minimizing pressure. The key component of the Z-Coil footwear line is its ability to provide support for the ball of your foot. This is the most important area of your feet for balance and coordination activities. The balls of our feet are also prone to plantars, pressure damage, and bruises. Z-Coil extends the benefits of additional cushioning in this area with a Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½flex line’ cushion design throughout the base of the shoe.
Nike has also introduced and featured a line of shoes that are fitted and designed for ultimate support using the power of springs. Combined with air and gel combinations, Nike continues to lead the athletic shoe brand market with new designs.
Interestingly enough, the moon shoes fad of the 1980s is a source of inspiration for many cushioning shoes in today’s footwear market. Moon shoes remain a popular children’s toy today, but their general design does support improved coordination, balance, and flexibility! Moon Shoes are still available in variations other than the padded original. You’ll find curved designs such as KanGoo JumpsÃ?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ that have springs attached to rollerblades. These are promoted as helpful in exercising for both children and adults. Take this idea to an extreme, with a popular toy such as the Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½Poweriser.‘Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ These Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½jumping stilts’ are based on the same mechanism of athletic shoes, except they allow the user to jump up to 6 ft with an enormous spring-like device.
Whatever your goal may be in improving balance, coordination, and overall support for your feet and posture, it is a good idea to find the best fit for your needs. Over time, you can greatly reduce your risk of injury in joints and muscles by protecting your key strength with the right footwear. Remember that the the soles, arch, and balls of your feet need care just as much as the rest of your body! They support you day in, day out, and the more physical the task, the more support you likely need. Preventative care of foot pain is your best plan of action! You can encourage this even further by exercising often and with care: focus on improving your overall strength, endurance, balance, and coordination.
