Orthaheel review

Renowned Australian podiatrist Phillip Vasyli designs Orthaheel orthotic footwear.  Orthotics are designed to improve foot function, restore posture and relive foot, knee and back pain.  The foot is considered the foundation of the entire body.  A misalignment in the foot, for example from a heel twist or arch collapse, can have negative repercussions across the entire body. 

The majority of foot and posture problems result from over pronation, which causes the foot to roll inward and collapse.  The leg forced to rotate to compensate which in turn can push the knee, pelvis and spine out of alignment. 

Do you pronate?  Check the bottom of a used pair of your shoes.  If you do, you’ll find that the heel is not wearing away at a uniform rate – but the rear back part of the heal is most worn.  Pronation contributes to 'flat feet’ and joint pain associated with poor alignment.

The foot is comprised of hundreds of bones, tendons, ligaments and muscles which provides the flexibility to shape to any surface it comes into contact with. Our feet were designed to walk on soft surfaces such as soil, sand and grass.  On these ‘natural’ surfaces the weight is distributed across the entire foot and the leg and ankle are aligned vertically.  Trouble is in modern times we mostly walk on hard surface which don’t accommodate to the shape of the foot.  Only part of the foot touches the ground and weight is not distributed evenly.   Bad shoe design compounds the problem forcing feet to become misaligned.

Orthaheel shoes are available across a range of shoe types including slippers, thongs, running shoes and sandals and have been shown to provide relief from heel pain, plantar fasciitis, calluses, bunions as well as knee, hip and back pain.  They are made from a shock absorbing material and can be used by athletes.  By cupping the heel and spreading the pressure evenly across the foot, Orthaheel footwear also assists with stability and balance. 

• Designed by a renowned podiatrist.
• Clinically proven orthotic support (see section below)
• Orthaheel orthotics provide a biomechanical solution to a biomedical problem that can lead to pain and injury. Biomechanics is the study of the body's movements during walking, running and sports.
• Designed specifically for pronation, the most common foot alignment problem.
• The brand has a proven track record since they were first launched in 1979.
• A very wide range of products are available to suit all needs and foot sizes for both men and women. Specific models are designed to address specific conditions such as back pain, ball of foot pain, fallen arches, flat feet and hammer toes. Plantar fasciitis shoes are also available.
  
• Orthaheel insoles are also available that you can place in your own shoes. This is similar to the approach taken by Walkfit, a well known brand of orthotic inserts.
• Many orthotic inserts don’t fit most sandals, but for over 10 years Orthaheel have been producing built in orthotic sandals and orthaheel flip flops.
• Orthaheel footwear can help high performance athletes.
• The orthotics are designed with a motion control system for added balance and alignment. The system helps reduce pronation by providing support across three dimensions.
• Very flexible and lightweight.
• Strong shock absorption capacity.
• Supported by a guarantee. If you don’t have improvement within the first 30 days you can get your money back.
• Orthaheel shoes and orthotics have received the seal of acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). The evaluation by APMA requires third party clinical reports.

According to information from the manufacturer a number of third party clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of Orthaheel orthotics for pain relief.  Here are two highlights:

• Following a 52 week study, Orthaheel orthotics were shown to deliver significantly greater keen pain relief than flat inserts. 
• Orthaheel orthotics were shown to provide relief from plantar fasciitis heel pain for 90% of study participants over a 12 week period.