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In December 2006, I discovered an amazing innovation
that has had a tremendous impact on my walking efficiency
and overall healthy walking, the Z-Coil shoes.
Z-coil shoes were invented over ten years ago by an
entrepreneur in New Mexico. The shoes have gone through
many iterations and today they have an entire lineup
of shoes for all occasion wear. In talking with the
Z-coil people, by far the biggest users of the shoes
are medical personnel (like nurses) that have to be
on their feet long hours standing on hard floors.
The concept is to place a coil spring in the back of
the shoe to absorb the impact of walking. It works for
able bodied people but it is especially invaluable for
us, trying to walk in KAFO leg braces.
One of the biggest problems I have noticed is that
with prolonged walking, the action of my hips seemed
to be deteriorating. Sometimes there would even be an
audible noise like something was slipping which was
a warning that some kind of damage was in process. I
honestly worried that I was greatly accelerating the
wear of my hip joints which could ultimately land me
back in the wheelchair.
With the Z-coil shoes that impact is greatly reduced.
My walking is smoother with less effort. Even though
it took some getting used to, my balance is improved
and I can more easily adjust my standing position for
comfort and posture.
I would like to thank my local Z-coil store in Salt
Lake City and its owner, Dick Redlein (801)278-1085
for promoting this amazing invention. I would recommend
anyone serious about walking to get these shoes. If
you can't find them locally, contact Dick and he can
make sure you get what you need.
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