Testimonial: Jeremy Brock

Imagine suffering for years from lower back pain, excruciating plantar fasciitis pain, or agony from an old hip surgery and never finding relief. You may have tried loads of prescription pain medications, hours of physical therapy and now are considering surgery as a last result.

My name is Jeremy Brock, I’m 27 years old and have dealt with terrible back pain from a car accident. I never thought I’d be dealing with this at such a young age. Pain takes away so much from normal activities. I truly thought I was destined to have to just live with it and learn to adapt. Not once did I ever think that what I wear on my feet really affected my pain levels.

I’ve been a New Balance athletic shoe fan for awhile and am the type to wear a pair of running shoes for two or three months and then religiously buy a new pair. Knowing what I know now, those shoe were adding to my painful back condition because they lacked support and truly had no cushioning to stop the impact of each step vibrating into my back.

My uncle is a podiatrist and by chance introduced me to a line of footwear that has nearly erased my back pain. Yes…shoes!! They are called Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ and when I first saw them, I thought they were the craziest things. (more)

Press Release: Good Housekeeping Magazine Report Unfairly Assesses Footwear Company

( Albuquerque, NM ) – A report in the May 2005 issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine unfairly targets Z-CoiL® Pain Relief Footwear™ as “potentially dangerous,” according to Z-CoiL communications coordinator, Pamela Trhlik. The footwear, specifically engineered to help relieve foot, leg, and back pain, is helping thousands of Americans regain a better quality of life.

Z-CoiL President and CEO, Andrés Gallegos (photo) expressed his disappointment in the report: “People who tested the footwear were more concerned about the look and price than they were in actual function and performance. The footwear industry is all about fashion; even running shoes are about the look. Our shoes are about pain relief.”

Z-CoiL Footwear relies on a network of dedicated distributors throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, who provide exemplary customer service. “What truly sets us apart is the attention customers receive from individual distributors,” Trhlik says. “A Z-CoiL® fitting is a customized and personalized experience. Each distributor is specially trained to adjust the shoes to accommodate a wide variety of foot, back, and leg conditions.”

When the report came out, it was the first time Z-CoiL had heard that a woman had possibly broken her ankle in the footwear. Gallegos says, “I encourage customers to first contact their distributor and then us with any issues concerning Z-CoiL® shoes so we know what problems people may be having with the footwear.”

Z-CoiL® distributors have been in the business of providing Pain Relief Footwear™ for more than 10 years, helping thousands of customers. The awareness of this pain-relieving alternative is just beginning to grow. According to Trhlik, “We are not the first and will not be the last product that has been scrutinized for its unique appearance or function. Our devoted customers and distributors will continue to make Z-CoiL® footwear a strong and viable option for people in pain.” (more)

Future Fairy Tales Farms: Blog Archive: Z-Coil Update

Ryan's Blog: I’ve worn the Z-Coils for a couple days now and I’m happy I bought them. I’m able to walk without the pain I’d been feeling. Yesterday I was on my feet all day and by the end my right foot was still sore and tired - but much less than it had been before. I’m going to try and take it easy over the next week and give my feet a chance to recover.

The Z-Coil shoes may look odd but I don’t think I’d be at work without them. When you first put them on it does feel weird to have that shock absorption but it’s nice. I think it’ll be a big help to be wearing them while I have to work at the library. Hopefully it’ll give my feet a chance to heal.

• How are you doing with the Z-CoiLs?
• Can you send me a photo of yourself with them?
• Will you be wearing them for the Capital City Marathon?
• Did you get the hiking boots?
• Where did you get them? How was the service?
• Did you have them adjusted?

Ryan Says

Get 1 Free Baskin Robbins Cone When You Try On A Pair of Z-Coil Shoes!

Orthotics: Does insurance cover the cost of z-coil shoes?

Orthotic shoes and other medical devices are known as "durable medical goods." They may be covered by your insurance but in California are not tax free. For more information see the company web site at http://zcoil.com/. The nearest dealer is César Snee in San Jose. His web site is http://www.ez-shoes.com/. He will come to the Fremont office to assist our practice's patients with fittings. (More)


Northern California Neurosurgery Medical Group, Inc.
A spine care and injury practice with offices in Fremont and Pleasanton, California

WKRZ-FM: Product Review

"Jeff's Review: These rock!

I went on a 40 minute jog and what a difference they make!

It's like jogging on air.

These are also great for anyone with foot problems or if you work on your feet for hours at a time.

They look a little weird but you can buy a protective covering that hides the giant spring on the heel.

They cost about $190 which might make you shudder but if comfort, and or health issues are important to you, I think you will be VERY glad you spent the money.

These are a winner!!! "

HealingWell.com Community Forum

Z-Coil shoes :: HealingWell.com Community Forum: "If anyone is interested, I bought a pair of Z-coil shoes about 3 months ago. They are the goofiest things I have ever seen, but, they do great if you have back, knee, or ankle problems. They were made by a runner for the purpose of taking shock off of your joints, so in my eyes it was a no brainer!!

I have worn Nike Shocks prior to buying these Z-coils, and they can't hang!!

They are not cheap, but for the money and sure comfort, they are worth it!!

From what I have heard, they are really big in the nursing industry.

Tom"

60 Second Radio Spots

• "I Want Your Feet"- - - - - - - - - (mp3) Dialup Broadband
• "Have You Read My Book?" - ---(mp3) Dialup Broadband

Boise Sports Chiropractic Clinic
Boise, Idaho

Valley Courier: Del Norte native eases pain for many

DEL NORTE — People who have a new spring in their steps and no pain in the joints owe the feeling to a Del Norte native who ran around a lot, then found a way to do it better.

Alvaro Z. Gallegos, familiarly known as “Al,” took up running after the untimely death of his wife and soon noticed that the impact of running brought with it significant aches and pains. Today, in his mid-70s, he runs daily and does so happily and painlessly.
After a stint in the military, he moved to northern New Mexico and met and married Marcella Lopez in 1960. While their eight children were being born, Al developed and sold several businesses, eventually moving the family to Santa Fe, then to Albuquerque.
Marcella died in 1980, leaving Al with children ranging in age from two to 18, so he began running in order to ensure they would have a healthy father.

By the mid 1980’s Al, in his desire to stay healthy, was running an average of seven miles a day and suffered from all the normal running injuries including heel spurs, knee problems, and back problems. He owned a shoe store at the time and had access to any type of running shoe available, but none helped in any way to reduce his pain.

PHOTO: Janice Griego shows off her Z-CoiL shoes and explains their benefits while husband Charlie looks on at left and neighboring businessman Mel Archuleta pays close attention at right. Charlie didn’t wear his shoes to work Friday and said he would regret it if the bar got busy.


Still running — and hurting — Al dreamed of a shoe with a coil in the heel to absorb the impact and make running comfortable, then he put together a prototype and the rest is history. He was laughed at. People made fun of his strange shoes, but he was happy to be running without pain and realized that all his pain was associated with the impact of hitting the ground while running.

Al invented Z-CoiL Footwear and, today, has dealers almost around the globe selling the odd-looking shoes that have made such a difference for people whose health has been affected by the impact of walking, running and standing in their daily lives. (more)


By SYLVIA LOBATO
Valley Courier Online

------------
Story Comments:

what a fantastic and down to earth Al and the Z-CoiL story. I am blessed to have discovered this shoe when I did, to see the Z-CoiL as a way to continue my healing practice in such a positive way and to make such a difference in so many people's lives. I have Al and his visions to thank for this. Thank you Al.

Love Donna Rabbitt

Total Relief Footwear: Runners and Z-CoiLs

Thousands of runners experience foot, leg and back injuries every year. Running is a strenuous activity, with forces of up to 5 times your body weight being absorbed with each pounding stride.

Runners are starting to use Z-CoiL® footwear as a training and post-race recovery shoe. Dave Frank and Tish Mendick, co-owners of a Z-CoiL dealership in Omaha, Nebraska wear their Z-CoiLs before, during and after each marathon they enter. “I did a 20 mile training run a week before the Freescale marathon, said Tish Mendick. I didn’t feel like I had to work that hard to complete the run.”

Dave finished the Chicago marathon, Marine Corps marathon and the Freescale marathon in his Z-CoiLs. Tish said, “After the Chicago marathon, my girlfriends were exhausted. They couldn’t move. I went out dancing that evening!” Dave observes that his recovery time is reduced from weeks down to a few days after running a marathon in Z-CoiLs.

Dave Frank ran the Freescale
Marathon in his Blue & White
Freedom 2000 Shoes

As a distance training shoe, Z-CoiLs are very beneficial because they allow runners to get their miles in without excessive wear and tear on the joints. “They’ve made my running effortless,” says Kathi Keyes an athlete that competes in triathlons. Kathi remarks that the footwear allows her to increase her training schedule because there is less recovery time between runs. “After running 7 – 10 miles, I usually need a few days to recover from the pounding that my knees and back take,” says Kathi. “With Z-CoiLs, I have no pain the day after a training run."

Many runners are very picky, even superstitious about their race-day footwear, and opt to race in popular running shoes. After running a 10k event, half or full marathon – the body really takes a pounding. As a post-race recovery shoe, Z-CoiLs are an excellent footwear choice for angry and inflamed joints. By reducing the shock of impact on all joints by 50 percent, Z-CoiLs dramatically speed up the recovery process.

Cam White
Total Relief Footwear
Austin, TX

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

MyBUSINESS Magazine

MyBUSINESS Magazine: Word of mouth has enabled Z-CoiL, an Albuquerque, N.M., manufacturer of specialized shoes for people with back pain, to sell its products.

“It started on its own. People wrote us letters about how our product enabled them to come out of their wheelchairs and have life-changing experiences,” says Andres Gallegos, Z-CoiL’s president. Z-CoiL turned that informal word of mouth into a strategy. The business published hundreds of customer testimonials on its Web site and invites its “customer enthusiasts” to Spring into Action, an annual event. “Word of mouth carries our message more powerfully than advertising,” says Gallegos.

Testimonial: Javan R. Oston, Doctor of Chiropractic

I am a chiropractor with a busy schedule, on my feet for hours a day, adjusting patients four to five days per week. I am always looking for tools to help me increase my energy and effectiveness. Z-CoiL® shoes have been a boon to me and my practice.

Since childhood, I've had a tendency toward flat feet, a slumped posture, and overall tightness in muscles and joints. Biomechanically, I knew I needed something more in the way of foot support, but had never had good results with traditional orthotics. High quality shoes helped, but did not solve the problem. I had seen friends and colleagues wearing Z-CoiL® shoes for years and had been struck by their innovative design. Coincidently, two patients of mine, long-time employees of Z-CoiL Footwear, began to educate me about the Z-CoiL products and methods. I tried a pair of Z-CoiL clogs in March 2004, and have been in love ever since.

To date, my posture is straighter, my arches are higher and stronger, and I am less tight and tired at the end of the day. Due to my better alignment in the Z-CoiL® footwear, I believe that all my muscles are more "switched on" and that it takes less effort to perform the same tasks. I wear my Z-CoiL ® shoes throughout my workday, and now cannot imagine doing without them.

Patient response to Z-CoiL® footwear has been overwhelmingly positive. I've been as impressed with Z-CoiL's dedication to service as I have been with the results of wearing the footwear. Everyone is treated and fitted as an individual, and Z-CoiL employees are trained to work with customers until their needs are met. This has always been my central concern in practice, and I am pleased to be able to recommend a company and a product that share my same patient-centered philosophy.

A number of years ago, I was forced to stop running due to a knee injury. I look forward to buying my next pair of Z-CoiL® shoes, the Freedoms, and getting back to a sport I enjoy.

My Z-CoiL® shoes are important because I enjoy chiropractic and intend to practice for another 20 years. Z-CoiLs will help me continue to do this energetically and without pain.

Javan R. Oston, Doctor of Chiropractic
Albuquerque, NM

Your Feet and Your Body Structure... or Biomechanics

The human foot is a complex structure made up of 26 bones and 2 sesamoids, held together by soft tissue material - muscles, ligaments and tendons. The human foot was designed to walk on soft surfaces like earth and sand rather than today's hard and flat man-made surfaces. So, it's little surprise that with the average person taking 14,000 steps per day, damage often occurs to the soft tissue supportive structures of the feet.

Over time, soft tissues slowly become stretched and this loss of support causes abnormal foot function during walking or running. In turn, this leads to changes in the biomechanics of the ankles and further up the leg to the knees, hip, pelvis and spinal column.

Therefore, many knee, hip or back problems may be caused by abnormally functioning feet! Children as well as adults may experience similar problems due to abnormal bone or soft tissue development. Constant uneven stresses exerted on feet can also lead to those conditions listed. Wear and tear patterns on the soles of your shoes can reveal whether or not you have a potential problem.

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)