Known as “pain relief footwear,” Z-Coil® shoes are designed to reduce pain related to the impact that occurs from various activities including running and walking. The idea for the design began in the 1980s when Alvaro Z. Gallegos was searching for a solution to the pain he suffered from related to his daily regimen of running. Gallegos thought that adding a “shock absorber” to his shoes would help reduce the impact and make running bearable again. He found relief from a crude design that included a spring that he inserted in the heel of his shoe.

As the style caught the eyes of family and friends, Gallegos improved the “springy” shoe design and made it available to a wider audience. Eventually popular shoe manufacturers, including Nike® and Reebok®, partnered with Gallegos to include the Z-Coil design in their collection of running shoes.

The Z-Coil® design is rather unique. While there are various Z-Coil® shoe designs, from running shoes to sandals, all of them have the same characteristic feature — a coil or spring in the heel. Often the spring in Z-Coil® shoes is left visible to show off its unique design. The primary purpose of the coil, however, is to reduce impact and various types of foot, leg, and back pain. The Z-Coil® Company and a Sandia National Laboratories study claims that the Z-Coil® design footwear provides 50% more cushioning than regular shoes. Additionally, Z-Coil® shoes are said to prevent the ball of the foot from jarring, which can cause injury from the repetitive motion in running and walking. Z-Coil® shoes may be helpful for people suffering from a variety of pain, including joint ailments, arthritis, lower back problems, sciatica, and heel problems. A doctor should be consulted to determine whether Z-Coil shoes will help your individual problems.