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MyspaceWhoever said “beauty is pain” wasn’t kidding; high heels hurt. As cute as those new pair of pumps are, you can’t always justify wearing them if you know your feet will be hurting in an hour. As a doctor of physical therapy, Dr. Geoffrey Alan Gray knows the sacrifice some women will make to wear their shoes.
“Years of treating numerous aching feet and making thousands of orthotics led me to the conclusion that women are simply not meant to wear high-heeled shoes,” Gray said in a press release. “But women also shouldn’t have to choose between wearing the stylish high-heel stilettos or wedges and having their feet suffer, or going for a less-fashionable, but more comfortable look.”
From File
Talus Heelbeds, black
Seeing a need in the market, Gray founded Santa Barbara-based Heeluxe, LLC, in 2009, designing fashionable inserts for high-heel shoes. Released last month, the Talus Heelbeds are a high-heel insert designed to shift body weight off the ball of the feet, relieving pressure that would cause pain in the heels, knees, and back.
“Talus Heelbeds work with natural heel movement to create support that will allow women everywhere to wear their heels all day and all night — without pain,” Gray stated.
The talus bone, the heelbed’s namesake, forms the lower part of the ankle joint and transmits the weight of the body to the foot. Pain is usually caused by forcing feet into a forward slanted position, which isn’t natural and shifts body weight to the ball and arch of the foot. According to Gray, this can cause damage to these areas of the foot. The heelbeds are designed to stop feet from sliding forward in the shoe, preventing pain, and angles the heel without the need for arch support.
The Talus Heelbeds are available at the Heeluxe Web site, and at several Northern California boutique stores. Currently offering the inserts in black and red, Gray hopes to eventually expand the line with additional patterns and colors.
Previous Month
Comments
These totally work! I got a pair of them at Bryan Lee a couple of weeks ago and was able to wear a pair of pumps all day at work and into the night without my feet bothering me at all. Way to go Dr. Gray!
SBGirl10 (anonymous profile)
May 16, 2010 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This sounds amazing. As a relatively short woman I often want to wear high heels but like the article said, I just can't justify being crippled by the pain they cause.
I'll definitely have to look into this!
nginther (anonymous profile)
May 16, 2010 at 8:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
While high heels look great on women, I think they're lame. They shorten women's achilles tendons. Then when they try to do sports (skiing, jumping sports like volleyball, etc) snap! The achilles tendon gets ruptured. That's a surgery you don't want to go through.
EastBeach (anonymous profile)
May 17, 2010 at 12:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
High heels are the Western version of foot binding.
JayB (anonymous profile)
May 17, 2010 at 8:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I saw these in Bryan Lee when they launched. I have them in two pairs of shoes now and they have changed my life! If you wear heels you should at least give them a try.
chrish (anonymous profile)
May 17, 2010 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
These REALLY work and are very affordable! (Only $14.99 at the Bryan Lee boutique on State St. in SB) Amazing how such a simple, low profile design is so effective - suddenly I feel as if I have several new pairs of shoes to wear more regularly (whereas before my heels were tucked away just to be worn for weddings...)
cms (anonymous profile)
May 17, 2010 at 11:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wore these to a wedding on Saturday and I was able to dance all night in them! I just ordered more. They're going in every pair of heels I own.
westbeachgal (anonymous profile)
May 24, 2010 at 10:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)