Jump for joy | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

"Since Aaron Ball started wearing shoes with a bizarre coil of a heel, his leg pain from arthritis disappeared and he's stopped his pain medication. His 11-hour-a-day factory job no longer is an exercise in how much pain he can bear. The other day, he even jogged a short distance, something he hasn't done for four years.

The only downside? The guys at work have a new nickname for him -- Tigger." Read More:

Shoe Store Closes 2 Locations

The neon "Open" signs are clicked off, but shoes still line shelves and are displayed in store windows.

The truth is, the Z-Coil stores at 8230 Menaul Blvd. NE and 111 Rio Rancho Drive NE are closed for good. (Editor: Albuquerque, NM)

The retailer's Web site no longer lists the two locations, and signs on the doors confirm the situation, even if Z-Coil itself would not.

But the masters of coil are eager to put a positive twist on this tale.

Even those door signs puts a happy spin on the news, with wording that says the store "relocated to our North Valley Superstore!" (complete with exclamation points and an offer of a free gift for the inconvenience).

Z-Coil president Andres Gallegos would not comment about the closures.

"There's tons and tons of good news, and there's so much negativity in the news," he said in a phone interview. "I'd rather not comment on any internal operations."

Instead, Gallegos was quick to point out several good things happening within the company, including a new deal to expand into more than 50 Brown Shoe Co. stores nationwide.

"Z-Coil right now is basically a company that is bucking the trend of the current economy," Gallegos said. "The company's doing really well. We're a really stable organization."

Over the course of the next six months, Brown employees will file through New Mexico for custom training on how to fit customers with their spring-loaded soles.

"Z-Coil has become a bit of the landscape here in New Mexico, and these guys (Brown) are thrilled," Gallegos said.

Kristi Moore: Sitting On The Job Cost Me Money

I walk many miles each day and do a lot of standing on concrete due to my job in sales. There were times in the past that my feet, knees, and back would hurt so badly that I could barely get through the day. I found that I was having to sit more and more frequently, which cost me money. In commissioned sales you don’t make money unless you’re able to stay on your feet and talk to customers.

One of my co-workers had purchased a pair of Z-Coil Shoes from a shop in Gatlinburg, TN while he was on vacation. He too had been having a lot of knee and back pain. After a few days of wearing the new Z-Coil shoes, his pain was almost gone. His sales improved right away because he was able to stay up and talk to more people. He also could move faster when he was pain-free.

At first, I thought the shoes looked a little bunny. The heel of the shoes have a large, black spring that is attached to a rubber sole. Although I wasn’t too fond of the style, I decided that anything was better than being in pain all day, so off to Gatlinburg I went. The shoes were a little over $200, but worth every cent. I’ve now had my Z-Coils for about 8 months and they’re still as comfortable as the day I bought them. They’ve held up very nicely and are only just now beginning to show a little wear on the tread.

The springs in the heels of the shoes give each time I take a step. It completely eliminates all the impact on my feet and joints.

Best of all, my feet don’t hurt nearly as much as they did before and my back and knee pain is completely gone. The Z-Coils allow me to stay mobile for much longer periods and they paid for themselves the very first weak I had them due to the added sales I was able to make.

Sandia National Laboratories: Mechanical Testing of Z-Coil Shoe

Sandia National Laboratories conducts mechanical testing in 2001 through New Mexico Small Business Assistance Program on shoes developed and patented by Z-Coil Footwear. Al Gallegos, founder Z-Coil, explains the mechanical principles behind the coiled foot bed.

Shoes: They don't fit in budgets

Sales down for the first time in a decade as economy staggers

Excerpt from News-Press Article
By Tim Engstrom
September 22, 2008

Customer Harold Pierce didn't have his shoes shipped. He drove down from Fort Pierce because Snyderman is one of only a handful of stores in the state that carry Z-Coil shoes, specialized pain relief footwear.

The shoes, which feature a heel linked by a coil spring, cost about $200 and, while that may be more than some conventional shoes, Kessler wasn't complaining.

"I'm shopping for physical care," said Kessler, who suffers from heel spurs. "These shoes made it so I can walk without pain again, so I'm willing to pay it."