SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Health -- Unsightly Z-Coil shoe adds spring to step

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Health -- 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.'
Taylor, 36, found out about Z-Coils from a friend. 'She told me they made a huge difference for her back and knees,' Taylor said. 'She wanted me to try them on. I did, and I couldn't believe the difference.'
For Taylor, who had worked several months with a physical therapist in perfecting a heel-to-toe walking rhythm, the Z-Coils were the equivalent of prescription training wheels. 'The design of the shoes made me do all the steps of how to walk without having to think about it,' she said. "



Dealer Note:
Publish new items to your blog every week. Dated articles are OK since they will be new to customers discovering the World of Z-CoiL for the first time. Archived articles provide a sense of history and company stability.

A Step Above Footwear: Can customers post directly to my blog?

A Step Above Footwear

> Okay I found out how to post on the blog. But what
> I am trying to get clear and though you haven't
> directly said it I guess my customers cannot publish
> directly to the blog. They can only post as a
> comment and I have to publish it on the blog. Is
> this correct?

Since we are both "Blog Administrators", we can make anyone a "contributor". A contributor can post directly to the blog. All you (or I) have to do is invite them. Remember: I invited you to be a contributor. There can be 1 or 500+ contributors to your blog.

Customers that are not contributors can only post to the blog through comments.

I set it up so there is one place where your customers can quickly and easily post their stories as comments to the blog. If you have them posting directly to the blog, it would be difficult for people to find all the testimonials in 6 months or a year. The only way they could do this is by searching the blog.

This is why I put "A Step Above Footwear Testimonial" in the headline of Colleen's story. So, if people just want to read Testimonials from your customers that were posted directly to the blog, they can do so by searching the site.

Are you ready to learn how to upload photos?

Go to: http://www.hello.com/
Read: Post pictures to your blog.
Download Application

KEZI.com - Testing Z-Coil Footwear

KEZI.com - Content -No, it's not futuristic footwear: it's Z-Coil. Chris Miles loves her pair. She says, "I wore these all last winter, wore the clogs in the summer, and brought these back out for this winter." Miles and her business partner are both registered nurses. They tried Z-Coil's, liked them, and started selling them in Springfield. The shoe was originally designed by a longtime runner in Arizona. "The whole shoe is built on a rigid orthotic, this cradles the foot." And it keeps it stable. Then, the coil acts as a shock absorber for impact protection. Although, it does look funny. Miles says, "Most people, once they try them on and feel how they are they forget about the funny looks." If you say so!

9News anchor Erin Bruce and I are testing the funky shoes out. Erin's been a runner since she was a kid, and I picked up the sport about a year ago. After getting accustomed to the feel in the store, we hit the track: Hayward Field. The shoes are really comfortable, like running on air (or springs). The coil also adds weight to the shoe, which takes getting used to. After several laps, Erin sees the benefits for people who have injuries. Erin says, "I've had reconstructive ankle surgery, I have no ACL in my knee, I have scar tissue, I get shin splints, so I think it could help a lot."

Erin doesn't feel as stable on the shoes while running bleachers, and she feels they're too heavy for competition. But, we both agree, the shoes are great for people who work on their feet. Overall, we'll rank the Z-Coil a 7 out of 9. Every foot is different, but ours like the Z-Coil.


Andrea Ash
KEZI 9News

KCBS: Z-Coil Shoes For Pain Relief

KCBS%3A Z-Coil Shoes For Pain ReliefIt's an unusual pair of footwear, but some swear it's making a difference with certain kinds of foot and leg pain.

So they're not a fashion statement. But loyal customers of Z-Coil shoes say it's a small price to pay for relief they feel from problems such as foot, leg and back pain.

Lara Kjersted is a restaurant owner. She's on her feet all day and says these shoes have helped relieve pain she's had for years.

"I'm there 10-12 hours cooking and supervising. These shoes do wonders. I don't have ankle, knee and hip problems," she says.

Z-Coil shoes were developed by a runner who suffered from foot and back problems. The design is said to reduce pain and skeletal impact because of the shock-absorbing coil along with a special orthodic base.

The coil spring is mounted to a solid orthodic, so from the ball of your foot to the heel, your foot does not flex or bend, which helps eliminate planter facitis or heel spurs and reduces skeletal impact by 50 percent.

Retailers say Z-Coil shoes won't fix problems, but can help people feel better and say many experience immediate relief.

"Most people know within a minute of putting the shoe on if it's going to make a difference for them," says Richard Redlein, of Z-Best Pain Relief Footwear.

There are some drawbacks. Aside from their unusual look, Z-Coil shoes can take some getting used to. They're also expensive, ranging from $139 to $179.

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