Modern surfaces, such as concrete, asphalt, and floors, are hard. When your feet land on
them, the force of the impact is often more than your system can naturally absorb. The shock
travels back up through the body, stressing and eventually damaging joints and causing
fatigue. Excess weight, athletics, repetitive activities and standing for long periods can
aggravate the situation. The heel strike shock particularly affects your lower skeletal frame
--your knees, hips and lower back as well as your feet. In the long run, it can inflict pain, limit
activity and in some cases, require joint replacement.
Due to fashion trends and cost cutting by manufacturers modern footwear rarely has sufficient
cushioning. Most sports shoes which should offer better protection are rarely suitable for
work or business use and studies have shown that most sports shoes lose much of their
cushioning effect within a short time. For years, scientists have studied the problem and
looked for possible solutions. Bio-engineers, orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists
saw that, if they could find a way to place a shock absorber between foot and the ground, the
energy would be diffused before it damaged the joints. For those already afflicted, such
shock absorbers would help relieve pain and prevent further damage.
Studies were designed, experiments were conducted, materials tested. The results all
suggested that visco-elastic polymers were the optimum materials for underfoot cushioning.
These synthetic materials, which are both dense and elastic, proved remarkably able to
absorb the shock of heel strike. Taking up less space in the shoe than conventional foam
materials, visco-elastic polymers are the most efficient form of under-foot cushioning
available today. In fact you would need up to 15 drug store insoles to equal the cushioning
effect of one visco-elastic insole.
In tests that actually measured the amount of shock that various parts of the body sustained
when walking, visco-elastic materials in combination with micro-porous foams showed far
greater ability than other materials to dampen shock and reduce rebound. They cushioned
the skeleton as the foot hit the ground and instead of kicking back instantly, they dissipated
the energy evenly over several milliseconds. That is key to protecting the joints.
Size Guide
Men's shoe size:             Woman's shoe size:
      2-4                                       4-6
      5-7                                       7-9
    11-13                                   10-12.5
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