Good Housekeeping Reports: Z-CoiL Footwear - Potentially Dangerous Shoes

(2005-02-23) Z-Blog Reporter/Jack Olmsted

Albuquerque Corporate Office Sends Springy Soled Shoes To Women’s Magazine Without Qualified Fitters

Port Townsend, WA – Good Housekeeping Reports has published a video story on OrganicFramework.com about Z-CoiL pain relief footwear that suggests that the springy soled shoes are unsafe on sticky surfaces and uneven terrain and could cause back strain.
http://broadcast.organicframework.com/p/Good-Housekeeping___370.html

An independent Z-CoiL dealer says the Albuquerque, NM head office sent the 120-year-old women’s magazine six pair of shoes to be tested for the article. But, the corporate office did not provide qualified personal to fit the shoes to the feet of the Good Housekeeping staff members that participated in the investigative report. Z-CoiL footwear can be adjusted 32 different ways and are custom fitted to customer’s feet by trained individuals. The orthotic foot beds are not sold mail order or online for this very reason.

Z-CoiL owners are posting comments on the OrganicFramework.com forum fuming over the unfavorable results of the Good Housekeeping "test."

Forum Excerpt:

As the owner of three pairs of z-coils, I was astonished at the results of the Good Housekeeping "test."

I have been wearing Z-coils exclusively for over two years now, and know them not to be a tripping hazard. They are VERY stable, comfortable and pain-reducing shoes. I would not trade them for the world.

I am curious as to the conditions under which they performed these tests. Most Z-coil stores have an "obstacle course" of uneven terrain for customers to walk on, to show the EXACT OPPOSITE of the Good Housekeeping test - that Z-coils make rough terrain feel SMOOTH!

The video was also unclear as to whether the shoes were taken "off the shelf" or properly custom-fitted. Each pair of Z-coils is custom fitted to the owner in what is usually an hour or more-long process. If these shoes were not properly fitted, the results of the test cannot be valid.

Informational updates and links on the Z-CoiL/Good Housekeeping story are posted at the Z-Blog Reporter, a syndicated blog: http://z-coil.blogspot.com

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING REPORTS

Good Housekeeping has its own television news service, which network affiliate stations subscribe to on a market exclusive basis. Each month, the Good Housekeeping Institute creates news stories dealing with consumer issues, health, parenting, and other timely and compelling topics. The news segments are developed from editorial features, proprietary studies and research conducted by the Institute. The Good Housekeeping Reports news segments currently air on over 130 network affiliate stations, reaching 72 percent of all television households. http://www.GoodHousekeeping.com

Z-CoiL PAIN RELIEF FOOTWEAR

The unique patented design of Z-CoiL Footwear, combining a large coil under the heel with a rigid, ¾-length orthotic, is the invention of Z-Tech's Founder and Chairman of the Board, Al Gallegos. Al realized the many injuries he endured as an avid runner were caused by impact. His quest to develop shoes that would reduce the force of impact, while providing proper support, resulted in Z-CoiL Pain Relief Footwear.

NOTE: Z-Blog Reporter is not associated with Z-CoiL or Good Housekeeping or their subsidiaries. Consumer evangelists maintain the online resource and information site.

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