Interview: Dr. James Clough, DPM - The Cluffy Wedge

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Z-CoiL dealers Hugh Solaas Shoe Safari , Caesar Snee (San Jose/San Francisco) and Dr. Lotchie Kerch along with Z-CoiL shoe owner Jack Olmsted talk to Dr. James Clough, DPM, about the Cluffy Wedge, a method that enhances the control of the foot as provided by a shoe, insole, or custom Orthotic.

"Unlocking the big toe joint can be your first and most critical step toward normal walking and physical harmony, by restoring your foot to healthy and correct function. As normal function is achieved, pressure on the ball of the foot is balanced. The entire foot and leg are brought into alignment and you are restored to a firm, stable foundation. This not only reduces your injury potential, but also enhances foot performance." - Cluffy.com

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Z-Coil A Unique Orthotic

December 21, 2005

Pain in the back, knees or feet is no laughing matter. It is difficult to move around and enjoy the simple things. Now a fantastic shoe store in Old Town Silverdale is ready to help you in living pain free. Shoe Safari is the only store in Kitsap County to carry the Z-Coils, a revolutionary orthotic devise (shoe) that combines a custom built-in orthotic with a spring heel. “We met a nurse at Swedish hospital that told us if it wasn’t for the Z-Coil she wouldn’t be in nursing” says Hugh and Dody Solaases, owners. The Solaases came out of retirement and opened Shoe Safari in February of 2003.

The Z-Coils are not shoes, but pain relief footwear. These marvels of technology reduce pain from surgery, age, incorrect posture, repetitive stress, impact and nerve damage. We sometimes forget that the feet are our body’s foundation. For a less painful body we need to properly care for our feet.

A sure sign of a fantastic shoe is when friends tell friends. Mary Fox, Librarian at Breidablik Elementary in North Kitsap is a proud wearer of Z-Coils from Shoe Safari all due to a friend extolling the virtues of the Z-Coils. “I have a bad knee from an old ski injury, plus the arches in my feet are starting to fall. It was difficult to even walk. Once I started wearing my Z-Coils from Shoe Safari, the pain disappeared.” Mary was impressed with the time Hugh and Dody took to fit her with her new Z-Coils. She loves the shoes so much she owns not only regular walking shoes, but also a pair of sandals and hiking boots.

The first step to a painless day is to start with the I-Step system. This computer mapping system displays the pressure points and arch type of your feet, allowing Hugh and Dody to create the custom orthotic for your feet. The first part of the I-Step measures your pressure points. Then you step onto the floor mat and the computer does the rest. Within 30 seconds a color-coded pressure points display is shown on the screen. The image tells you exactly where you are putting pressure on your feet. The second part has you walking across the floor pad and displays the pressure you place on your feet when you walk.

Once you are finished with the I-Step a custom orthotic mold is selected and fitted to your feet. Now it is time for you to select the style of Z-Coils you want to wear. Shoe Safari has 16 different styles to choose from. There are the athletic and exercise, nursing clog style, hiking, sandals and steel toe work boots. Each Z-Coil has a specially designed coil on the heel to lessen the impact of stepping. It is what makes the Z-Coil a unique orthotic.

“We already have 1% of the population of Kitsap County in Z-Coils” says Hugh. “When people walk in with tears in their eyes to thank us for easing the pain they use to have – that says it all.”

Shoe Safari is open Tuesday through Friday 10:30 to 6:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 to 5:00 pm.

Testimonial: Doug Binder

Doug Binder talks about his experience wearing Z-Coil shoes

Testimonial: Gene Talvin (Video)

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.:


Pamela Roberts, Youth Development/4-H Coordinator Washington State University Jefferson County Extension, conducts an informal interview with new Z-CoiL shoe owner, Gene Talvin, One Man Band Productions. Gene purchased his black Cloudwalker dress shoes at the Shoe Safari, the day before Thanksgiving.

Fairbanks Woman Makes 350-Mile Journey to Find Pain Relief after Years of Suffering

Z-CoiL® Footwear Quickly Becoming First Choice for Pain Relief

( Anchorage, AK ) – Millions of Americans suffer chronic pain, which can be debilitating and life-altering. According to an April 2005 poll by ABC News, USA Today and the Stanford University Medical Center, a little less half of the adult respondents have experienced pain in the last two weeks, and nearly four in 10 do so on a regular basis. A majority reported knee and back pain to be the most common.

For Fairbanks, Alaska, resident Leona Allridge, chronic pain was part of her daily routine, as she suffered from pain in her feet, back, and legs for many years. Pain was a powerful motivator for Leona, as she tried many remedies during the years, with no success. On a friend’s advice, Leona found an amazing pair of shoes that has made a complete change in her life.

Leona made the 350-mile journey to Anchorage to find Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™, at The Shoe Box, owned and operated by Mary DeZarn.

“I fell in love with the Z-CoiL® shoes as soon as I put them on,” she says. “Instead of experiencing pain within 30 minutes of being on my feet, I was able to walk for hours without any discomfort.”

Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™, unlike any other footwear on the market, is specifically engineered to help alleviate foot, leg, and back pain. According to hundreds of already satisfied customers, Z-CoiL® shoes have helped reduce the pain from plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, arthritis, sciatica, fibromyalgia, chronic lower back pain, just to name a few conditions.

The unique footwear has three special components that combine to provide impact reduction, cushioning, and overall comfort. Z-CoiL® footwear features a conical shaped coil that compresses to reduce the shockwaves traveling through the body with each step. Built in each shoe is a rigid full-length orthotic that runs from the heel to the metatarsal heads, providing overall midfoot support. Superior forefront cushioning also lessens the impact of each step and helps provide comfort.

“These shoes are so comfortable that I absolutely hate to take them off. They are more comfortable than any other shoe, and even more comfortable than going barefoot!,” Leona says. “From now on, only Z-CoiL® shoes for me.”

Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ is available in Alaska only at The Shoe Box 4240 Old Seward Highway, A-15, in Anchorage. To contact Mary, call 907.336.7463.

Arthritis Walk 2005: Improved Quality Of Life Product Donations To Washington Walk Chairs and Honorees

Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ Independent Dealers Provide Tools For Individuals With Arthritis And Related Diseases

Port Townsend, WA May 2, 2005 - Washington state Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ independent dealers are providing the “ultimate arthritic foot bed”: springy soled shoes, elastic Knoty Boy shoe laces, Sof Sole Socks, Sof Sole Comfort Insoles and Lynco arch supports/orthoses. The products will be presented to Arthritis Foundation Washington/Alaska Chapter (Blog) Arthritis Walk chairs and honorees with arthritis at all four state events.

May is National Arthritis Month, and the Arthritis Foundation is looking for walkers to raise money to fight the painful disease.

About one of every three adults and about 300,000 children are afflicted with arthritis nationwide.


In May and June, Washington State Arthritis Walks and health fairs are scheduled in four counties:

• Skagit
  May 14 at the Cascade Mall in Burlington
• Kitsap
  May 21 at Waterfront Park in Silverdale
• Pierce
  June 4 at Owens Beach at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma
• Spokane
  June 18 at Centennial Trail at Gonzaga University in Spokane

The mission of the Arthritis Foundation is to improve lives through leadership in the prevention, control and cure of arthritis and related diseases. The Arthritis Walk is the Arthritis Foundation's nationwide event that raises awareness and funds to fight arthritis, the nation's leading cause of disability.

The walk serves as more than a fund-raiser and roaming support group. Another goal is to promote a greater awareness that the condition victimizes even the very young, contrary to the common misconception that arthritis is a condition striking only the elderly. Arthritis affects more children in the United States than muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis and sickle-cell anemia combined.

Participating Washington State Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ Independent Dealers

Shoe Safari – Silverdale Arthritis Walk Health Fair/Z-CoiL Donation

Our mission at Shoe Safari is to help relieve the pain of those with foot, knee, or back problems. We have an impressive track record of dramatically reducing the pain of arthritis sufferers by reducing foot shock and impact stress on the entire skeletal structure. Many of our clients have dramatically reduced the need for pain medications.

A Step In Time – Spokane Arthritis Walk Health Fair/Z-CoiL Donation

Spring's Pain Relief Z-CoiL Footwear – Tacoma Arthritis Walk Health Fair/Z-CoiL Donation

Feel Good Footwear (Bellevue) Z-CoiL Donation, Tacoma

EZ Step – Burlington Arthritis Walk Health Fair/Z-CoiL Donation

Your2Feet – (Seattle) Z-CoiL Donation, Burlington

Washington State Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ Independent Dealer Contact Information

“Arthritis sufferers have benefited from wearing the pain relief footwear in many circumstances. Since there are over 31 adjustments, caution is recommended for a slow break in period,” writes Dr. Lotchie M. Kerch, D.P.M, Seattle Podiatric Physician & Foot Surgeon, on her Z-CoiL blog. “The main effect of the shoes is to reduce impact. You will also notice your center of gravity changes when wearing the shoes. This engages different muscles (the lateral stabilizing muscles) making it necessary to wear them for as little as an hour the first day, and increasing the wearing time gradually every day. As you become stronger, this sensation of "bouncing" and balancing dissipates. Depending on your type of arthritis, this may prove very beneficial for relieving symptoms. You are reducing impact and getting energy return, which causes a differing weight distribution. "

Knoty Boy (FST) – The Ultimate Shoelace
Transforms lace-up footwear into an ease of use; slip-on slip-off, for Arthritic ease

Revolutionary - Footwear Stabilization Technology (FST)

Converts each eyelet along the shoe upper into an isolated ‘tension zone’;

Re-emerging knots maintain adjusted tension or looseness and never need tying.

Footwear can now be comfortably adjusted for:

• Natural foot profile stabilization
• Problem feet
• Sport specific demands
• In-step sensitivity relief

Enhances footwear technologies: outsoles, insoles, and orthotics.

About Sof Sole
Sof Sole is the #1 insole, lace, and shoe care brand in sporting goods and shoe stores, with distribution in thousands of retail outlets across North America, and in 55 countries throughout the world.

Z-Blog Reporter
Z-CoiL Customer Stories, Information, Resources, News, Links and Updates
http://z-coil.blogspot.com/

Testimonial: Susan Rogers

I suffer with a disability known as "dropped foot" (also called "foot drop"). This is a result of a ruptured disc in my lower back, which has since been removed, but has left me with some lasting nerve and muscle damage, the worst of it being "dropped foot" on my left side.

I cannot lift my left foot at all and must concentrate on every single step I take. I walk with a limp and cannot run, jump, skip, or dance. Sometimes I stagger because I cannot support myself with my left foot. And because I also can't lower my body weight on the left foot, my whole left side takes an extra jolt every time I put that foot down when I'm walking.

It is jarring and painful and adversely affects everything from heel to ankle, knee, hip, and lower back. Chronic pain becomes a constant companion, and walking becomes an activity I want to do as little as possible, to avoid the pain. When I do walk, I must focus on each step to try to lessen the pain. I cannot walk along absent-mindedly, like most people do, or I will come down harder on the left side. Even with concentration, I could not avoid the limp and some pain, and after 10 years of this, I had developed a chronic pain in my left hip that kept me awake at night.

I would buy good running shoes, the ones with the most cushioning in the heel that I could find, and wear them until the cushion in the left shoe was mashed down from the pounding it had taken. The shoes would last two months at the most. I also own every gel and cushion insole out there.

Several weeks ago, my husband saw a colleague wearing [Z-CoiL® footwear] and asked her about them. She explained that she was wearing them because of knee and back pain and she said they helped her. He wondered if they would help me.

I contacted a dealer 29 miles away and he called headquarters in Albuquerque to inquire about any other people with drop foot who had been helped. I was encouraged when I learned that one gentleman with drop foot had great results. This encouragement was enough to get me beyond the negative Good Housekeeping review I had seen that was not very scientific or helpful. (more)

Testimonial: Boyd and Valery Williams

Boyd purchased his first pair of Z-CoiLs from Al Gallegos in Albuquerque, NM and another pair from Shoe Safari. The William's each own five pair of Z-CoiLs.
Audio Interview / Boyd's right foot


source: your2feet at the puyallup fair

Seeing is Believing

Using an i-Step machine, I tested my own feet. I actually was surprised to see just how great these shoes are. Below are the results:

"'The introduction of computerized foot analysis systems in the early 90's brought the science of pressure and gait analysis to an exciting phase. Using this new technology, scientific studies demonstrated that there is a direct cause and effect relationship between unbalanced pressure distribution during the gait cycle and lower extremity pain in areas such as the knee, ankle, or foot.' (View Video)

The red areas are those with the most pressure - the blue areas are those with the least pressure.

For this test I first stood on the machine barefoot, the results show a large amount of pressure on my heel and the outside edge of my foot. I roll my feet to the outside, this is called Over Supination. This is a common problem associated with knee and foot pain.

The popular shoe I tested had only been worn for a month and still look brand new. The popular running shoe did nothing but distribute the pressure around the whole foot no real impact reduction.

Next, I put a gel heel pad in my shoe, this took some pressure off my forefoot but my feet still absorbed most of the pressure.

Finally the Z-CoiLs - really do I even have to say anything? The Z-CoiL Spring actually absorbed most of the impact. And the Z-CoiLs I did this test with are a year and a half old.

This truly shows how great this product is."

Jeremy Brock
Feel Good Footwear!
Bellevue, WA

Press Release: April is Foot Health Awareness Month – Pamper Your Feet With a Z-CoiL® Treat

Uniquely Engineered Footwear Brings Welcome Relief to Sore Feet

( Albuquerque, NM ) — Your feet take tremendous abuse. The impact of walking can deliver a force that is two to three times your body weight, and three to five times your body weight when running! No wonder the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) has declared April to be Foot Health Awareness Month, to focus attention on this often-neglected, yet hardest-working part of the body.

“I have been off work for over one year, now going on two because of plantar fasciitis. I have had three different podiatrists as well, numerous orthotics, then I was given a series of shots, from cortisone to steroids and even shots to dissolve nerves in my heels. Nothing worked!” says Jovonne Rodriguez of San Bernardino, CA. By chance she discovered Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ and says the shoes have made all the difference.

For millions of people like Jovonne who suffer from foot pain, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, arthritis, or lower back pain, finding relief from pain may be as simple as finding the right footwear.

“Your Z-CoiL® shoes are a miracle!” Jovonne adds. “Now I actually look forward to going to the mall or to any function just to walk around. I don’t go places and just sit anymore; I’m up and moving or socializing. People don’t realize that they don’t have to go through life with foot pain. I can’t say enough about how your shoes have helped me.” (more)

Testimonial: Bill F. Jones

We were in the Kentucky hills this last August, specifically at the site of the Battle of Camp Wildcat. This is a very rough area, with sheer cliffs, steep hills, lots of trees, practically no roads and only rocky, dirt paths. It has not changed appreciably since 1862. There is one trail that leads through the hollow and up the mountain spine to the top, where the Union forces had dug trenches (which are still there).

Four of us started on the 3½-mile trail. Two dropped out at the one-mile point; the other two, including me, went all the way to the top. This picture of me was taken there, and gives you an idea of the terrain. Unfortunately, there is so much broken ground, leaves, rocks and sticks, that you can't even see the shoes.

But since the most frequent question I get on your shoes is, "Don't they make you unsteady?" it is nice to show you what kind of ground you can cross with these shoes, and they actually are more stable than conventional shoes due to the firm heel support. . . . I enjoy telling people just how versatile and effective these shoes are and being able to prove it with the little story above.

I have been wearing Z-CoiL® [footwear] now for something like two years and find they hold up very well - I haven't even had to replace the heels, which I hear is unusual. Even more, I am finding that when I am not wearing Z-CoiL® [footwear], my back and foot problems are much less severe. While I wouldn't say the Z-CoiL® [shoes] are healing these problems, I do feel that the rest and support they give do help in the healing process.

Bill F. Jones
Orange, CA

Renown Computer Author and Columnist John Dvorak Sports Z-CoiL's!

"John Dvorak, a renown author and columnist, has recently been fitted with a pair of Z-CoiL Pain Relief Footwear! John is a current PC Magazine Columnist writing Inside Track, an essay and a weekly online column. These articles are licensed around the world. Also a weekly columnist for CBSMarketwatch, Info! (Brazil) and BUG Magazine (Croatia). John has written over 4000 articles and columns as well as authoring or co-authoring 14 books. He was the 2003 Award winner of the American Business Editors Association's national gold award for best online column of 2003.


CeBit 2004 Photo Essay: T-Mobile had a slew of showgoers wearing this "Just Relax" visor and headset. I don't know what went on with this campaign, but it caused everybody to want to be T-Mobile salespeople. Ommmmmmmmm! John Dvorak

John spends a lot of time on his feet, especially when he attends the various conferences and computer shows, like CeBit that is coming up in Germany and needed something that will provide him comfort at those gruelling affairs.

So, check out his feet the next time you see him at a convention!

Caesar Snee
EZ-Shoes

Z-Buzz - The Z-CoiL Quartarly Magazine (Winter 05)

What’s in Z-Issue

Page 1 The Art of Pain Relief: Eye-Catching Footwear is Catching On
Page 1 Adventures Await - in Z-Coil Shoes
Page 2 Adventures Await - in Z-Coil Shoes
Page 3 A New Leg To Stand On
Page 3 Customer Care Tip
Page 3 Small Victory for Postal Workers in Pain
Page 4 Sore Feet Take a Hike
Page 4 Remembering the Man Who Inspired Us
Page 5 The Art of Pain Relief:Getting Personal
Page 6 Our Incredible Footwear

Click Title to Read (Format: PDF)

Testimonial: Michael E. Schneider

Testimonial: Michael E. Schneider


If you have to spend long hours on your feet, you are a fool not to have them [Z-CoiL® footwear]. They are very forgiving. I have a fused left ankle. I walk heel first and the coil definitely cushions the impact, allowing me to spend more time on my feet. They give me more time to make money at my job. They pretty much double my earning power. I couldn't work any other way.

Michael E. Schneider
Carson, WA

Testimonial: Bill F. Jones

For years I have had recurrent pain in my right hip. During a trip to Germany, my wife had a fall and fractured her kneecap, leaving me to push her around in a wheelchair on those cobblestone streets. In the process I developed plantar fasciitis, which my HMO treated with indifferent success when I returned.

I saw an ad for Z-CoiL shoes in the newspaper and went to the store to try them out. I was astounded! As soon as I first put them on and took a few steps, I found my back pain was completely gone! Needless to say, I bought a pair and found that not only did the back pain not come back, but the plantar fasciitis also went away. Instead of the usual quarter-mile, which was all I could manage before, I could now walk until I got tired.

People often question me about the shoes, and I have been happy to share my experience with them and give them the local Z-CoiL dealer's address and phone number. My doctor and chiropractor are very interested, and I find they are recommending them to other patients. I have two pairs-the "standard model" and the same one with the enclosed heel.

I prefer the standard, but the enclosed heel is useful when there is the possibility of catching the heel on something. My wife says she thinks I like them because they make me look taller, and maybe she's right. Thanks for a very useful and practical solution to my back and foot problems.

Bill F. Jones
Orange, CA

Z-CoiL Testimonial of the Month: November

After reading the recent Baltimore Sun story about Z-CoiL shoes, my wife Joann and I decided to visit Coil Heaven in Laurel, Maryland, and see what the fuss was about. I mark that down as one of the wisest decisions we have ever made. I am 62 years old with a bum knee, and in the past year was diagnosed as having a herniated disc that was pressing against the sciatic nerve and causing me several problems, such as numbness and at times loss of function in my right calf. My wife has had back problems at times, which would result in her being required to take pain pills and rest. Her biggest problem was standing on her feet over 1/2 hour and walking any distances. This is where Z-CoiL footwear comes into the picture.

Once we entered Coil Heaven we were greeted by the most energetic, professional and knowledgeable sales persons I have ever met. Ms. Kathryn Jo Ottman explained the concept and design of these shoes and showed us several pairs and styles. We tried several pairs on and walked around to test them. To make a long story short, these shoes are the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever had on my feet. Since I have been wearing them, I have not had a single problem with my back, knees or feet. I now walk everywhere and just hate to take them off for the night. My wife is ecstatic that she can now walk around our development with ease, stand on her feet for longer periods of time and no longer requires pain pills for her back.

These shoes are truly amazing, but to really give them a test, my wife and I visited our grandchildren in Ocean City last week. Now you know when you have two little boys, one three and the other five, you must walk the boardwalk. Not only did we walk the length of the boardwalk, but at times carried one or both grandchildren. We even outlasted my daughter and son-in-law. All this because of these shoes. They are absolutely wonderful and I will never give them up. My wife loves them so much she is going back to Coil Heaven to order the high tops for winter.

To add one more item to our satisfaction list is Ms. Kathryn Jo Ottman. What a delight to have met her. She truly believes in this product and it shows. I can honestly say we bought these shoes not only because they felt good on our feet at the store, but because Ms. Ottman just won us over.

Thank you Z-CoiL and Ms. Kathryn Jo Ottman.

Joe and Joann Elwood
Havre De Grace, Maryland

Funny looking shoe gets serious results

While the peculiar Z-Coil shoes are on the fringe of fashionable, to people suffering chronic pain they’re as beautiful as a pair of ruby slippers.

Shoe Safari in Old Town Silverdale opened its doors in February 2003 and hopes to spark a footwear revolution.

While at a Seattle hospital visiting a relative, Hugh and Dody Solaas had their first run in with the Z-Coil. A nurse was wearing a pair of the funny looking shoes and told the Solaases that without them, she would not be in nursing.

“It piqued our interest,” Dody said. “We went and bought a pair over in Burien and we were sold. My arthritic knees went away, my sciatica went away.”

Hugh’s painful foot ailments disappeared. The couple came out of retirement where they were living in Hansville to open the Shoe Safari on Byron Street where “adventures in pain relief” are an everyday occurrence.

Each of the shoes has a built in orthotic, which is custom molded to the foot. That is attached to the coil at the heel. The shoe, developed by lifelong runner Alvaro Gallegos of New Mexico,
lessens the impact of running or walking.

The shoes range in price from $139-$249 (NOTE: Today, prices are $197-$261).

A triple fracture to his ankle left Rick Tibbs with nerve damage, pain and the inability to find shoes that fit comfortably.

In a matter of weeks after wearing the Z-Coils, he said he no longer needed to take pain medication or spend hours in a therapeutic hot tub for relief.

“My back stopped hurting, my feet stopped hurting,” Tibbs said as he tried on a pair of work boots recently.

“The reason we’re getting these kinds of results ... is because this is the first totally engineered orthotic piece of footwear on the planet,” Hugh said.

The average person walks about 8,000 steps a day and each time the foot meets the hard surface “micro-trauma” occurs, its effects traveling up the skeleton Hugh said.

“The feet are the foundation of your whole skeletal system and it’s just like a house, if the foundation is bad the rest of the house is bad,” Hugh said.

The Solaases have a binder that is quickly filling with letters of appreciation from customers.

“The only drawback is the cosmetic part of the shoe,” Hugh said.

There are 13 different styles of shoes including sandals, clogs and boots.

“My mission is to help people relieve their foot knee and back pain,” Hugh said. “But the gratification I’m getting far exceeds that original thought. Just the idea of people coming back
after purchasing the product and thanking me for selling them the product makes it the most gratifying thing I’ve ever done.”

By Tracey Cooper
Central Kitsap Reporter
November 2003

Shoe Safari Customers and Their Z-CoiLs

We are multiple Z-Coil owners and have been happily wearing them on and off our jobs for over a year.

Listen to what they have to say

source: your2feet at the puyallup fair

Testimonial: As a practicing physician for the last 27 years...

As a practicing physician for the last 27 years, you could say that I am one who "stands on her own two feet." Literally, though, I have been standing on my feet for much longer, first as a medical student, then as an intern and a resident, and after 11 long years of medical education, my feet have continued to stand firm at the bedside of my patients.

I entered my residency with a shoe size 9, and I finished my training with a hefty size 10. Endless hours on call, all of them mostly standing, finally led to a fallen arch. Now, in my mature years, I have become a wiser, more experienced physician - with painful feet. My left foot has post-traumatic arthritis, and I feel a deep, piercing pain in my right heel from plantar fasciitis.

One weekend about three months ago, I limped into a medical meeting in Houston in my most expensive European shoes, outfitted with a heel pad and an insert, both of which had become of little value towards alleviating my pain. As I dragged myself past the booths displaying various technological exhibits, I noticed a booth with some funny-looking shoes, and an even funnier name: "Cra-Z-CoiL." To my surprise, I saw a number of physicians lined up in front of the booth waiting to try on those shoes. I decided to join the line, hoping the wait wouldn't be too long, since standing was becoming increasingly unbearable. When my turn came, I chose a pair of black sneakers. I stepped into them and I began to walk, and I walked, and walked, and walked, like a toddler fascinated with her first steps. I told my husband, "Please pay the lady and ask her to pack up my Mephistos; I am not getting out of these shoes!" And I haven't. The next day I bought my second pair, the black clogs, and I have not used any of my (many) other pairs of shoes since.

Recently we spent almost three weeks in Germany, where I walked the almost exclusively historical pebbled roads all day long, secure and pain-free in my Z-CoiLs. I had to tell many Germans where to find information on these shoes, which really piqued their curiosity. At the airport, several security agents smiled when my Z-CoiLs showed up on their screens; they probably thought I was just a funky traveler, and my shoes were returned to me with all respect. Some people think they look weird, while others say they are really cool. I think they are my feet now, the ones I lost during an exciting but demanding career. And, except for bedtime, they go with me everywhere, from the treadmill to the most elegant evening, since I know nobody will actually mind my coils or find them unattractive; it is my big smile and contentment that will really catch their eye!

Christina Stemmler, M.D.
Houston, TX

Shoe Safari - Contact Information

3594 NW Byron #103 Oldtown (See Map)
Silverdale, WA, 98383

Phone: (360) 307-0755
E-Mail: solaas at earthlink dot net

Z Shoe Store Etc., Commercial

Z Shoe Store Etc., CommercialCheck out the Z-CoiL TV commercial from Z Shoe Store Etc, Scottsdale, Arizona. (Click Title)

Unsightly Z-Coil shoe adds spring to step

Imagine wearing a miniature innerspring mattress on your foot. Or sinking your heel into a portable BarcaLounger.

Both images come to mind in the Z-Coil shoe.

With what appears to be a sawed-off pogo stick springing from its sole, it's a fashion misstep in full stride. But if you can stand the looks – the ones you'll get from passersby, not to mention the dubious aesthetics – who's complaining?

The Z-Coil is to Bruno Magli as an operating-room smock is to designer lingerie. Think practical over pretty. Think power pumps for pain relief.

And expect the steel-spring heel to sink an inch or so on contact, the better, theoretically, to protect you from two common conditions: heel spurs and plantar fasciitis.

Dr. Virgil Woods, a doctor of rheumatology, won't leave his house without a pair. Neither will Lisa Taylor, rheumatoid arthritis patient who credits "those funky shoes" with helping her relearn to walk correctly after 13 knee surgeries.

"When you're jogging on asphalt, it feels like you're on the sand at the beach," said Woods, 55. "Two other rheumatologists who see me wear them made fun of me. Then they asked where they could get a pair."

(Click Title to Read More)


By Jack Williams
Union-Tribune Publishing
April 26, 2004

Interview: Hair Dresser with Bad Back

Audio Interview: My name is Gay and I've had my Z-CoiL hiking boots for five, six, seven, eight, nine months now and...

Your2Feet: Puyallup Fair September 2004

Northern California Neurosurgery Medical Group, Inc.

What are z-coil shoes?

Z-coil shoes provide relief from a number of conditions due to one simple principle: that even simple walking can put enormous impacts on the human body. Each step you take while merely walking has an impact pressure of 2-3 times your normal weight. The stress of this impact is transmitted through your knees, your back, and can exacerbate existing conditions. Z-coil shoes remove much of that strain by absorbing the impact of each step you take.

What problems can z-coil shoes help with?

Though even z-coil cannot help with every possible condition, they have been know to help people suffering from:

• Arthritis & Joint Pain - immediate and long-term relief
• Back Pain & Sciatica - immediate and long-term relief
• Foot Pain
• Heel Spurs - immediate relief and quick recovery time
• Plantar Fasciitis -- immediate relief and quick recovery time
• Metatarsal (forefoot) Pain -- immediate relief and quick recovery time
• Body Fatigue - immediate and long-term energy boost

Northern California Neurosurgery Medical Group, Inc.
Offices in Fremont and Pleasanton, California