If you’ve ever experienced foot, back or knee pain, then you know how debilitating it can be and how comforting a good pair of shoes can feel.
Still relishing in my “invincible youth,” I often neglect the need to take better care of my feet which translates to inadequate footwear – think $2 Old Navy flip flops. However, the older I get the more I realize that what I put on my feet directly affects my arches, joints, posture, and ultimately my ability to remain active over the course of my life. So when we recently received an offer to test out some Vionic Sandals from Orthaheel, I jumped at the chance.
Ironically enough, the week before my sandals arrived I started getting a sharp pain in my left heel that was sidelining me from my morning jogs. When the Vionic sandals arrived, it was like a big, comforting hug for my well-worn feet.
As we shared in a story earlier this year, Orthaheel is a collaberative project of Dr. Andrew Weil and Australian podiatrist Phillip Vasyli. Together, the pair saw a need for a fashionable shoe line that provided support for those experiencing foot, back or knee pain. The shoes are not only designed to correct alignment and posture problems, but also help prevent future pain and injuries from occurring.
The style of sandal I received was the Vionic Cascade in Chocolate. This particular model is described as the “ideal motion control footwear for after-sport recovery,” featuring a durable VIBRAM outsole for superior traction, a biomechanically contoured, motional-control footbed, and flexible leather uppers with a soft padded jersey liner and bungee strap overlay. This is a fancy way of saying an extremely high quality sandal designed specifically to relieve heel, knee, back and leg pain. Sign me up!
The minute the box arrived I popped them on my feet and literally have not taken them off since. Within days my heel pain had diminished; I was amazed. I even noticed when I opted to wear my other flat sandals, the heel pain would start creeping right back on. Needless to say, these sandals have been my shoe of choice for the last several weeks, especially on days that I do a lot of walking. They’re so comfortable I even wear them around the house in my PJs. This last move has my husband a little concerned. But I don’t care – I’m a total fan.
Even with so many positive reviews of this shoe line, I was a little skeptical that they would actually work for me. But after testing them out for a few weeks, I’m convinced.
If you’re an athlete – especially a runner – or if you frequently experience pain in your heels, legs, knees or back, I would highly recommend giving this product a try. The Cascade sandals cost right around $100, which is a little pricey. But if you can avoid expensive doctors visits and more extensive treatment methods, then an investment in these shoes is more than worth it.
Be sure to visit the Orthaheel website to view the full selection of men and women’s shoes and sandals. I may be biased, but I highly recommend the Cascades. If you don’t believe me; come visit my office. I’m (still) wearing them right now.
While Orthaheel provided sample product, this review is not sponsored or influenced in any way and remains the author’s own opinion.
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