Worldwide Spa Review Magazine - Z-CoiL's

By Jessica Skropanic

One disadvantage to being a biped is the tremendous weight and shock on the two small body parts - our feet - responsible for supporting the whole bulk of our weight. Our knees, hips, backs and necks suffer too. While our feet are incredibly efficient considering their use and abuse, why not give them a 'leg up'? Enter Z-Coil.

'The first thing I noticed was that my body kept bracing for impact that
didn't come!'

According to Z-Coil, in the 18th century the world started to make separate shoes for left and right feet, much to the chagrin of confused preschoolers. What seems an obvious necessity now was innovative then. In the mid-1980's, Al Gallegos, founder, chairman and inventor of Z-Coils, had an idea for a running shoe that makes as much sense as constructing a right shoe and a left shoe.

A runner, Gallegos suffered from the pain of common running hazards: heel spurs, plantar fasciitis and knee and back problems. Once while running his seven daily miles, he conceived of a way to drastically reduce the shock of repeated impact: insert a conical spring into the heel of a running shoe. After some experimentation with different springs, the result is the patented design behind Z-Coils.

When a colleague visited my office wearing a pair of Z-Coils, my initial reaction was that of most people: 'What's with the springy shoes?' As a back pain sufferer who's quick to extol the virtues of my rebounder, I was immediately curious. 'Is it like bouncing on a rebounder all day?' I asked. 'Are they just for people with pain?'

Since that afternoon, I have discovered that Z-Coils are by no means exclusively for people with injuries or chronic pain. There are mail carriers, nurses, delivery persons, and legions of other folks who stand or walk for hours each day who will defend their Z-Coils to the death. Many will wear no other shoes but Z-Coils, on and off of the job. And the company doesn't just make athletic shoes for hikers, runners and would-be slam-dunkers: sandals, work boots and clogs carry the Z-Coil name and patented technology. The shoes are also gaining popularity with vacationers who plan long sightseeing trips.

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