Phillip Vasyli is a podiatrist on a mission. He realized early in his career that treatment for common foot ailments like plantar fasciitis were both time-consuming and costly, deterring many patients from seeking treatment. For a man described by those closest to him as a “born healer,” this was unacceptable. He needed a solution that could make orthotic treatment an option for more people. His search led him to create one of the first ever heat-moldable orthotics, a process that lowered the barriers for those seeking treatment for foot pain. In fact, it allowed people to walk out of his office with their orthotic the same day as their appointment!
His work with heat-molded orthotics eventually led to the creation of the Orthaheel orthotic. Orthaheel is the first and only orthotic made available without a doctor’s prescription. This award-winning technology brings support and stability to shoes, boots, sandals, and more! If Orthaheel sounds familiar to you, it might be because the name of the technology. Since many people associated the idea of orthotics and anything that sounds vaguely like “orthotic” with unattractive, bulky shoes, Vionic rebranded. They took on a new name that better reflected their identity as a maker of stylish shoes that also happen to have orthotic comfort! The name may have changed, but the comfort technology has not.
When an occasion calls for a shoe with a little bit of height, Vionic still has the technology to keep you comfortable. Their wedges and heels feature Elevated Support, a comfort technology adapted from Orthaheel. The same contoured arch support found in their flat shoes can be found in the wedges and heels, as can the deep heel cup. Because heels place pressure on the balls of your feet, Elevated Support technology features extra cushioning underneath them for added comfort.
Podiatrists approve of Vionic’s footwear. Many of their shoes bear the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance, meaning Vionic is one of few brands whose products actively promote foot health. Even their sandals have been shown to reduce foot pain, an almost unheard of accomplishment as sandals are generally the least supportive footwear. In a peer-reviewed study partially funded by Vionic, participants over the age of 50 with moderate, non-traumatic heel pain reported that Vionic sandals effectively helped to alleviate their pain. While flat flip flops may exacerbate symptoms, Vionic’s contoured sandals can alleviate them, making sandals an accessible summer option for pain sufferers. If you’ve struggled to find footwear that offered the orthotic support you need and the style that you want, Vionic’s innovative technologies can help.