ROANOKE, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Foot Levelers, the world’s leading provider of custom-crafted custom, flexible orthotics serving multi-disciplinary professionals and clinicians, today announces the new and improved 5th Avenue Collection of custom, flexible orthotics – developed by women, for women and their unique foot structure. This innovative design and fabrication only available from Foot Levelers stabilize all three arches of the foot, resolving the vast differences in foot structure between women and men, relieving the discomfort, pain and fatigue that results from high-fashion footwear and avoiding serious foot health issues down the line.
“Women’s bodies are vastly different from men’s – right down to the foot,” says Jamie Greenawalt, senior vice president, Foot Levelers. She explains how the female foot differs from the male:
- Tends to have a narrower heel in relation to the forefoot
- Forefoot is wider and causes the biomechanical forces on the foot to be distributed differently
- Narrower overall than a man's foot relative to its length
- Achilles tendon is smaller in circumference and strength, but also shorter
“While many lower extremity conditions in women are associated with or result from abnormal biomechanics of the feet, unhealthy shoe designs, such as high heels, only increase and accelerate the risk of developing bunions, hammer toes, callus formation, interdigital neuromas and metatarsalgia that can come with age,” continues Greenawalt.
“Orthotics for women should be designed to support the longitudinal and anterior transverse arches to provide metatarsal passing and to limit excessive heel motion,” adds Greenawalt.
“Small, dense metatarsal arch pads positioned more distally reduce the pressures on the metatarsal heads and can decrease plantar pressures by an average of 17%, with pain reduced by 71%.”
She points to the new 5th Avenue Collection as a remarkable addition to any wardrobe, adding, “Many women’s shoe designs, including high heels, pointed toes and narrow last, fail to account for these differences in women’s feet. We designed the 5th Avenue Collection to enable women to wear their favorite shoes without compromising their health.”
Available in two styles: for shoes with heels up to one inch and heels between one and two inches, the 5th Avenue Collection of custom, flexible custom orthotics come with new features that will increase support and comfort
- Shorter: The 5th Avenue for 1" has been slightly shortened and narrowed for a better, low-profile fit while still providing maximum comfort, support and stabilization.
- More Comfortable: Thick layer of Propacel™ in the toe area has been replaced with the streamlined VitaStep™ Comfort System for both the 1” and 2” styles, providing maximum support and a better fit in a greater assortment of women’s shoes, including narrower ones with smaller toe boxes.
- Softer: The Fifth Avenue Collection maintains the luxurious Lambson™ vegan leather top cover
- More Shock Absorption: Because women need unique support in the heels, the 5th Avenue custom, flexible orthotics contain a Zorbacel® heel pad for extra shock absorption and comfort while maintaining proper support for a narrow fitting shoe.
- Dynamic Response System™ (DRS) Now Standard Feature: DRS is now a standard feature rather than an add-on option. This proprietary arch material acts like a suspension system and enhances stability by responding to variable loads and uneven terrain.
“This new phase of the 5th Avenue Collection is literally a step-up in comfort for women,” continues Greenawalt. “Like all Foot Levelers custom, flexible orthotics, the 5th Avenue is custom-made from a weightbearing cast or scan and supports the three arches of the foot. Foot Levelers are the only custom, flexible orthotics available that stabilize all three arches, which is essential for healthy balance and alignment for total body health.”
About Foot Levelers
Foot Levelers, the world’s leading provider of hand-crafted custom orthotics, has been serving healthcare professionals since 1952. Stabilizing orthotics help properly support the back, knees, hips, pelvis, and even neck by providing a balanced and symmetrical foundation. Foot Levelers orthotics are proven to reduce LBP by 34.5%. Visit www.footlevelers.com; and follow on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (@FootLevelers).
